If you use Google Maps daily, you probably already know it's one of the most comprehensive navigation apps available. But when you need something more advanced than simply going from point A to point BThings get complicated: long journeys, running errands all over the city, or a route of commercial visits require planning several stops in a logical order.
The reality is that Google Maps allows create routes with up to 10 stopsIt does include origin and destination, but it was never designed as a professional multi-route planner. This is evident: everything has to be done manually, the address limit is quite strict, and the order of stops isn't automatically optimized. Even so, with a little know-how and a few tricks, it can be incredibly useful.
How to use Google Maps to create routes with multiple stops
The most convenient way to plan a route with multiple directions is to do it from a computer, where You see the big map, all the stops, and the list of addresses all at once.The mobile app works essentially the same, but it's easier to accidentally touch something and mess up the route.
Before you begin, it's helpful to have a list of the places you want to visit prepared (in a spreadsheet or document). This way you can copy and paste addresses and site names, avoid duplicates and make sure you don't leave anything out of the route.
1. Set your first stop
Open Google Maps in your browser and search for the first place you want to go: you can enter a full address, business name, or landmarkIt's advisable to pay close attention to the suggestion you choose, because sometimes there are places with the same name in different parts of the city.
If you prefer, you can also click directly on any point on the map to mark it as the initial destination. In real-world scenarios, for example, you could select a specific store where you make the first delivery or a meeting point to begin the journey.
2. Open the route panel with "How to get there" or "Directions"
When you choose a place, Maps displays information about the location on the left (on desktop) or in a card (on mobile): photos, ratings, Street View, etc. There you'll see the button. "How to get there" (or "Directions"), which is the one you have to press to open the routes panel with the origin and destination fields.
At this point, Google Maps creates a draft route: you only have one active address, but you can already see the map centered on the area and the basic route as soon as you add the starting point.
3. Choose your starting point
At the very top you'll see the origin field. You can leave it as "Your location" if that's the idea. leave from where you are at that moment, or write a different address if you start from home, your company's warehouse, or any other specific location.
With the origin and first destination, Google Maps already shows the fastest route between those two pointswith estimated travel time and real-time traffic, which is precisely where the application is strongest.
4. Add more destinations to the route
To add new stops, click on «Add destination» At the bottom of the address list, a new line will appear where you can type another address, paste it from your list, or click on the map to select it.
Take this opportunity to check your mode of transport: if you're traveling by car, the vehicle icon should be active; if you're a pedestrian or cyclist, select the appropriate mode to ensure realistic travel timesPublic transport, for now, does not allow long sequences with multiple customized stops.
5. Limit of 10 stops on Google Maps
Google Maps lets you keep tapping "Add destination" until you reach the maximum. 10 points on the same route (origin + 9 stops)Once you reach that limit, the option becomes disabled and you can no longer add new places to that route.
This makes Maps sufficient for short trips or daily routes (running errands, a few business visits, a basic sightseeing tour), but it falls short for intensive deliveries, technical service routes, or road trips with many stops.
6. Arrange the stops to avoid "spaghetti"
If you add the sites without thinking too much about the order, the route line usually becomes a mess of unnecessary crossings and turnsBy default, Google respects the exact order in which the addresses have been entered, even if that means zigzagging around the city.
In the list of stops, you'll see a dot icon next to each line. If you click and hold, you can drag each stop up or down To change the order. As you rearrange, the route is automatically recalculated on the map and the total time is updated.
A good strategy is to start with the stop closest to your origin or the end of the city that is most convenient for you, and from there follow a more or less linear route towards your final destination. Simply by placing the stops in a logical way, it's easy to cut several minutes (or even more than half an hour) from the original order.
7. Share the route with your mobile phone or other people
Once you have the route more or less finalized, you can send it to your phone or share it with someone else. On a desktop, the most versatile option is to use "Share" or "Copy link"depending on the interface you have.
You can paste the link into an email, WhatsApp message, a work group, or save it to your notes. This way, in addition to avoiding problems with the "Send to phone" button (which sometimes It doesn't work perfectly on iOS), you make sure you always have the route on hand to reuse it later.
8. Open the route and navigate from your mobile device
On your phone, simply open the link in your browser and accept the option. Open it in the Google Maps appYou will see the same list of stops and the complete route exactly as you designed it on the computer.
If you're already at the starting point, you can tap "Start" to begin turn-by-turn navigation. If you haven't reached the starting point yet, you'll first see a route preview until you are positioned in the correct place to start the itinerary.
From the three dots in the upper right corner you have some interesting options, such as setting a reminder to leave at a specific time or adjust route preferences to avoid tolls, highways or ferries as you wish.
How to add and modify stops from the mobile app
If you don't have a computer handy, you can create the path directly from your Android mobile oh iPhoneThe process is practically the same, although the interface changes a little and there are two very useful ways to add stops.
Add stops from the route options menu
First, find the main destination in the app's top bar and tap on it. "How to get"This will generate the standard route from your current location (or from the origin you choose).
Once on the route screen, tap on the icon of the three dots from the upper right corner and select "Add stop". You can type the new address, choose a suggested location, or tap on the map to set the point.
Repeat this process as many times as needed until you reach the Google Maps limit. Once everything is configured, tap on "Done" and then "Start" to start the navigation with all the stops linked together.
Add stops using the magnifying glass while you're already on the road
There is another very practical method for those who remember a stop late or when an unexpected situation arises. unexpected need, such as stopping at the gas station or at the supermarket. In this case, Start your normal routeChoose your destination, click on "How to get there" and then "Start".
While you're browsing, tap on the icon of the top right corner magnifying glassYou'll see quick icons for Gas Stations, Restaurants, Supermarkets, Cafes, and a general search option.
If you choose, for example, Gas Stations, you'll see all the ones near the route, with their ratings and the additional time that it would take to detour to each oneBy tapping the one you're interested in, Maps will insert it into your current route as an intermediate stop without you having to rebuild everything from scratch.
You can also open the "Search" option and type an address or the name of the place you want to add. The app will place that new stop, usually marked with a [icon/button]. letter (B, C, etc.), before the final destination that you had already configured.
Share directions from your mobile device
In the mobile version, you can also send your route to someone else. Tap the three dots at the top again and choose "Share directions"The system will open your phone's sharing menu with all compatible apps.
Simply select the application (Messages, WhatsApp, email, etc.) and it will be sent. a direct link to the newly created routeThe person who receives it will be able to open it in their Google Maps if they have the app installed, with all the stops in the same order.
Google Maps: advanced features useful when creating routes
Beyond the stops, it's worth taking advantage of some extra features of Google Maps to that planning and navigation be more preciseespecially on long journeys or in cities with heavy traffic.
Traffic information in real time
When you activate the traffic layer, the map shows Colored lines on the roads according to traffic flow: green if it's going well, orange if there's density and red if things are stuck.
This helps you identify where you might spend more time and assess whether it's worth accepting one Slightly longer alternative route, but with less congestionwhich Maps usually suggests automatically with a banner at the bottom.
Street View and detailed views
Before arriving at a tricky stop (an industrial park, a shop hidden on a narrow street, a specific doorway), it can be a great idea to check the location with Street ViewThis way you familiarize yourself with the area and see visual references such as facades, intersections or entrances to parking lots.
It significantly reduces the risk of passing by, especially if you're in a hurry or if it's an address you don't know at all.
Save places and custom lists
If you tend to repeat many of your routes (regular clients, family members, suppliers, etc.), the ideal thing to do is save these places to your Google Maps account with labels such as Home, Work, or custom lists.
This way you don't have to rewrite the addresses: simply You choose them from your favorites or from your themed listsand you add them to the route on the fly. It's a very useful trick for salespeople, delivery drivers, or people who frequently visit the same places.
Planning routes with more than 10 stops: options and limitations
When the route exceeds 10 stops, the limitations of Google Maps become apparent. Even so, there are several ways to circumvent that restriction or combine Maps with other tools according to what you need.
Divide the route into blocks
The most direct method is to divide your route into several segments. For example, you can create a Route A with 10 stops (including the origin) and, at the end, a Route B that starts at the last point of the previous one and adds the following stops.
It's a manual solution that requires some organization, because you have to to keep track of which stops are included in each section and change your route when you finish one of the blocks. It works if you do it occasionally, but for daily use it can become tedious.
Use Google My Maps to visualize many points
Google My Maps (mymaps.google.com) is a different tool from the regular app. It allows you to create custom maps where you can Mark and save up to approximately 2.000 locations per map, organized by layers.
It is ideal for more visual projects: a map with all your customers, your favorite bars, travel routes through a region, events scattered around the city… Each point can have notes, colored icons, custom names, etc.
Create a map in My Maps and plot routes by layers
Go to My Maps, tap "Create a new map," and use the search bar to add places. Each place you add becomes a marker within a map. specific layer (for example, "Stores" or "Customers in the northern area").
When you want to draw a route, tap the "Draw line" icon and select "Add car route" (or your preferred mode of transport). Then click on the starting point and the rest of the stopsA new layer of directions is generated with that route segment.
Each route layer supports up to 10 locations, so if you need more, you'll have to create another layer with another 10, and so on. The result is a map with several routes in sections, very useful for organizing yourself when there are many visitors in different areas.
View time and distance details in My Maps
My Maps doesn't show times and distances directly next to the route line. To see them, tap on the three points of the indications layer and select "Detailed directions on how to get there".
There you will find a summary with the total estimated time and kilometers, as well as a step-by-step breakdown of the routeIt's a convenient way to check how long each leg takes without having to open everything in the traditional app.
View and navigate your custom maps from your mobile device.
From the Google Maps app, go to "Saved" and then to the "Maps" tab. There you will find the My Maps maps linked to your accountUpon opening one, You will see all the markers and the layered routes you've created.
My Maps doesn't allow you to start continuous navigation like a classic Maps route. To use it on the road, you have to go touch-stop to stop: You choose the next place on your map, click on "How to get there" and thus link the sections manually.
What happens when you need more than Google Maps?
In simple scenarios (group trips, errands, occasional work routes), Google Maps and My Maps are sufficient. But as soon as you start driving... Dozens of daily addresses, time windows, multiple vehicles, or clients that must be visited in a specific order.It becomes impractical to rely solely on Maps.
Google Maps limitations for logistics and deliveries
For delivery drivers, sales representatives, or technical service providers who visit many locations each day, the most important limits of Maps are:
- Limit of 10 stops per routewhich requires working with several sections.
- It does not automatically optimize the order of the stops.It just follows the one you give it.
- Manual address entry, without bulk import from spreadsheets.
- Without restriction management like delivery times, priorities, or stop durations.
In this type of professional use, Google Maps becomes more of a turn-by-turn navigation motor than in a route planner as such. The calculation and organization of addresses usually falls to other tools.
Specialized route planners and optimization
These tools include optimization algorithms that handle calculate the best visit order to minimize mileage, save time, and reduce fuel consumption. Then, most allow you to send the final route to Google Maps, Waze, or other apps for navigation.
Real-world usage examples
Some cases where a dedicated planner Mark the difference compared to using only Google Maps, the following would apply:
- Daily parcel delivery with 50-100 addresses in a city.
- Technical service routes with scheduled appointments in specific time windows.
- Sales network that needs to cover many customer visits maximizing the number of meetings per day.
- Long road trips with lots of tourist stops or points of interest.
In these contexts, the most efficient thing to do is combine a route optimizer with Google MapsFirst you organize and optimize all the directions in the specialized software and then you use Maps only to guide you through each section.
Tips for making the most of multi-stop routes in your daily routine
Even if you don't end up using a professional planner, there are several good practice that help you get more out of Google Maps when working with routes with many stops.
Plan with some margin.
Take a few minutes before starting your route to check addresses, schedules, and think of a reasonable order of stops It will save you from surprises and unexpected detours during the journey.
It's a good idea to check the expected traffic for the time you plan to leave, any roadworks or restrictions, and even keep in mind any alternative route in areas prone to traffic jams.
Take advantage of lists and saved places
If you have clients or sites you visit frequently, it's worth it. save them in specific lists (North Customers, Suppliers, Favorites, etc.) within Google Maps.
In this way, building the route is as simple as add destinations from those lists Instead of searching or typing each address every time. For frequent use, the time saved is significant.
Explore and accept alternative routes when it makes sense.
During navigation, the app often suggests alternative routes if it detects heavy traffic. Before accepting it automatically, take a quick look at the map to see if it's the best option. make sure it doesn't take you too far from the other stops.
Sometimes it's worth putting up with a small traffic jam to avoid having to do a huge detour that throws the whole plan off trackAnd sometimes the detour results in significant savings. A quick glance helps you decide.
Combine Google Maps with a custom map if you have many stops
When you have no choice but to work with more than 10 points, using a My Maps map with all the stops helps you to visualize the whole and decide what goes in each 10-unit section within standard Maps.
So even if you have to navigate through blocks, at least you're starting from a single point. overview of the route and it's easier to avoid overlaps or absurd back-and-forths.
You can create very complete and efficient routes Without going crazy in the process, as long as you know its limits well, rely on My Maps when there are many addresses and, if necessary, combine Maps with specialized software.
