Hop on board—and go almost anywhere—with public transit on Google Maps

Over 70 percent of the world’s population doesn’t own a car¹—a surprising fact for anyone who’s sat for what seems like hours on end in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Millions of people rely on public transit to get around. That’s why, since 2007, we’ve worked to include public transit routes and schedules in Google Maps. In fact, buses, trains, trams and subways included in Google Maps travel 200 million kilometers every day—that’s the equivalent of driving every single road in the world three times!²

Today, Google Maps is helping you get around on public transit even more easily with these additions:

• We’ve added every single transit route in Great Britain to Google Maps—making it easier to get anywhere from Land’s End to John O’Groats.
• On the other side of the globe, Vancouverites looking for sun can now get real-time updates on whether a bus to Kits is faster than one to Third Beach.
• In Chicago, Cubs fans can now zip to and from Wrigley Field, armed with the real-time information they need to hop on a bus and avoid congestion on Lake Shore Drive.
• And finally, just in time for the games, we’ve recently added transit information for every host city in Brazil. Can you say “GOOOAAALLLLL?!”

Our transit data spans six continents, 64 countries and more than 15,000 towns and cities worldwide. And we’re not done yet: Google Maps will continue to improve—serving people the information they need to get around town when and where they need it.

Posted by David Tattersall, Product Manager, Public Transit

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1 This estimate is based on the most recent World Bank data on the number of passenger cars per 1,000 people throughout 100 countries and territories. Passenger cars refer to road motor vehicles, other than two-wheelers, intended for the carriage of passengers and designed to seat no more than nine people (including the driver).
2 CIA World Factbook

Get on the road, go off the grid, or plan the perfect weekend with the Google Maps app

When your life is moving fast, you need tools to keep up with your pace. Google Maps for mobile is the perfect travel companion for your daily commute, weekend errands, and (much-needed) vacations. Starting today, you now have even more ways to avoid life’s everyday hiccups with Google Maps for Android and iPhone/iPad:

Don’t miss your next turn or exit. The Google Maps app now shows you which lane to stay in or move to so you’ll never find yourself driving for miles down the wrong road. You’ll also have easy access to alternate routes while you’re navigating, so you can choose the best drive for you. To learn more about lane guidance availability, click here.

Don’t worry if you’re not online. Before setting off on your next vacation, hike, or roadtrip, search for an area and tap on its place info sheet, then when available, you can select “Save map to use offline,” and give your map a custom name, like “Toronto Vacation.” To find your offline maps, sign-in, tap the profile icon next to the search box in the top right corner, and scroll to see “Toronto Vacation” and other saved maps.

Don’t be late for last call. With new filters, you can browse through restaurants, bars and hotels by opening hours, rating, price, and more—where available—to find just what you’re looking for, right when you need it.

Don’t limit your options. Frequent Uber rider? If you have the Uber app installed, you can now compare your ride with transit and walking directions right from Google Maps in some cities. And if you choose the Uber option, you’ll jump right into the Uber app with just one click.

Don’t miss that train. With more than a million public transit stops on Google Maps, you’ll get reliable information to help you get where you’re going. Next time you’re in Chicago, search for directions to Lincoln Park Zoo, tap the train icon, and select “Depart at” to choose the time and day you want to leave—or even “last train home” for those night owls—so you get the most accurate transit information for your needs.

Don’t forget the park you wanted to visit. See places you’ve saved on Google Maps across all your devices when you’re signed in. And if you find a place you want to save on the go, search for the location you’re interested in, tap on the place card, and hit the star icon to save the location for later.

Don’t wait to explore your next vacation spot. Search for your ideal destination—anywhere from the Gateway Arch to the Taj Mahal—then tap on the place card to dive into Street View where available. You might even get a peek inside some hotels, restaurants, and more.

So, next time you’re caught up in a whirlwind of activity, make navigating your world a little easier. Take a moment to grab your phone, open up the Google Maps app, and find all you need to search, navigate and explore the world around you. Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered.

Posted by Jeffrey Hightower, Software Engineering Manager