Beyond the car: Google Maps tips for pedestrians, cyclists and public transit users

Imagine you’re on a crowded street at your vacation destination and you don’t know whether to turn left or right to get to the next point of interest. Now, imagine if you pointed your phone’s camera at any of the buildings around you… and arrows and directions suddenly were to appear on the screen, to help you find out which way to go.

This is what Live View does: it’s a Google Maps feature that uses augmented reality (AR) to help users walk to their destination. This is one of the app’s most interesting features if we happen to be pedestrians, cyclists, or public transportation users. And Google Maps can do so much more.

For pedestrians

In addition to planning routes to get from one point to another, or using Live View for navigation, Google Maps can consider different preferences based on personal needs. For example, if you want to avoid steep hills, you can see the gradient when viewing a route. Or, if you need wheelchair-accessible routes, you can select this in the route options.

Also, if you’re walking alone in an unfamiliar area and feel safer if someone knows exactly where you are — or if you’re meeting someone at a specific point — you can share your exact location, in real-time, for a specified period. This way, your contacts will know where you are and when you’ll arrive. To activate this option, tap the blue dot indicating your current location on the map and — in the menu that appears — select “Share Location,” while choosing the time and with whom to share it.

On two wheels

Google Maps is able to suggest specific routes for cyclists, prioritizing bike lanes, quiet streets and bike-friendly paths, while helping cyclists avoid dangerous areas. It also indicates the route’s overall gradient, so you won’t be surprised by unexpected inclines. You can see this on “route” by selecting the bicycle icon: the sections marked in dark green indicate bike lanes, while those marked in light green point out bike-friendly streets.

The map also displays the nearest bike-sharing stations, their availability and — in some cases — the estimated cost. When you search for a bike route, or simply explore the map, you’ll see the station icons. Tapping one will open a window with the provider’s information, offering a direct link to their app.

Public transportation

When you select “public transit” on Google Maps, you can find the best routes that combine buses, subways, trains, trams, or ferries — all without having to open different apps. So, when you choose a route, several options will be proposed, indicating the total travel time, the number of transfers, specific modes of transport (for example, walking + metro + bus), as well as the estimated cost, provided that the information is available.

As an additional feature — on top of having access to scheduled times — you’ll also see the real-time schedule: whether there are ongoing delays, service interruptions, detours, strikes, etc. These warnings usually appear under the text that says “live,” or in a different color.

And, lastly, if you need to find a bus stop or the nearest metro station, you can use the search function by category. Simply type “bus stop,” “metro,” or “train” in the search bar, so as to display the different options and the lines that pass through them.

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