How to Easily Plan a Route with Multiple Stops on Google Maps
Google Maps is an incredibly useful tool that we often turn to for finding new restaurants, navigating to a different city, or locating nearby gas stations. But did you know that you can also add multiple stops to your route? In this article, we will show you exactly how to do that.
How Multiple Stops Work in Google Maps
Adding multiple stops in Google Maps is a simple process. By adding multiple destinations, the app will automatically create the best route for you. You can add up to 9 stops, excluding your current location or starting point. Based on the order of your destinations, Google Maps will show you the most efficient routes and travel times. And the best part is, you can even add a new stop in the middle of your trip.
However, keep in mind that for an efficient trip, it's important to rearrange the stops based on your priority. Adding destinations in any order might increase travel time and cause inconvenience.
How to Add Multiple Stops in Google Maps
Adding multiple destinations to your Google Maps app is a breeze. Here's a step-by-step guide:
- Open Google Maps on your iPhone or Android phone and tap on the Direction icon (right arrow inside the box) in the bottom right corner.
- Choose your starting location and destination.
- Note: Google will automatically pick your current location as the starting point, but you can adjust it if needed.
- Tap on the Kebab Menu (three-dot icon) and select the Add stop option.
- Enter the address in the Choose destination box.
- You can also add a stop from the map by tapping on the POI (Point of Interest) icon and selecting Add stop.
- Reminder: You can add up to nine stops only.
- Rearrange the stops using the drag icon and the X icon to remove a stop.
- Tap Done to finish the setup process.
- Select the mode of transportation and hit the Start button.
- Note: Multiple stops in Google Maps don't support public transportation like buses, metro, or trains.
That's it! Google Maps will now navigate you with multiple stops along the way.
How to Remove a Stop from an Ongoing Route
If you've already started a trip and decide to skip a particular stop, you don't need to exit your navigation to remove it from Google Maps. Here's how to do it:
- Tap on the bottom bar and select the Directions option.
- Click on the X icon (Cross icon) to remove any stop from an ongoing route.
- If you want to remove the next stop, simply tap on the bottom bar and select the Remove next stop option. This is the quickest way to remove a stop in Maps, unless you're removing a stop at a specific number or position.
How to Add a New Stop to an Ongoing Route
While on a trip, you may want to add more stops to your route. Thankfully, Google Maps allows you to easily add a new stop without closing the navigation. Here's how:
- Tap on the Search icon in the top right corner or bottom bar and select the Search along route option to enter the address.
- Tap the Add stop button.
- Alternatively, you can also select the places or POI (Points of Interest) icon from the map itself and hit the Add stop button.
Note that Google Maps doesn't allow users to rearrange stops in the middle of navigation. Any new stops you add will be placed at the top by default. If you want to reorder stops, follow these steps:
- Go back to the Route Editing Screen and tap the Direction Panel.
- Use the drag icon to rearrange the stops accordingly.
- Tap the Done button and start your navigation again.
Optimize Your Route in Google Maps
While planning a route with multiple stops in Google Maps, there are several ways to optimize your trip:
- Share your trip progress with others to keep them informed about your routes, recent location, battery status, and mode of transportation.
- Enable the Show Traffic on Maps feature to avoid congested routes and make better navigation decisions.
- Enable or disable the voice assistant according to your convenience.
- Choose to exclude highways, tolls, and ferries from your route.
- Switch to night mode to minimize battery consumption on phones with an OLED panel.
Adding Multiple Stops on Google Maps
Say goodbye to outdated navigation methods and make your travels more organized by adding multiple stops in Google Maps. When necessary, rearrange the stops based on your priorities. You can also make your own map with pins marking different landmarks or locations. We hope this guide has been helpful and will assist you in making your journey smoother.
Before you go, you can also learn about the major differences between Google Maps and Google Maps Go.
Jim's passion for Apple products ignited in 2007 when Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone. This was a canon event in his life. Noticing a lack of iPad-focused content that is easy to understand even for “tech-noob”, he decided to create Tabletmonkeys in 2011.
Jim continues to share his expertise and passion for tablets, helping his audience as much as he can with his motto “One Swipe at a Time!”