How does an online route planner work?
A route planner is a map tool that works out a path between two or more places. You give it a starting point and a destination. It searches the road network, compares the possible paths and picks the one that gets you there fastest.
The result is drawn on an interactive map that you can zoom and drag to look at the route in detail. Alongside the map you get the numbers that matter for planning: total distance, driving time, expected arrival and an estimate of fuel cost. You can add stops for errands, pickups or deliveries, and the planner links them together in the order you enter them.
What you can do with Plan Your Route
Driving directions. Every turn, exit and roundabout is listed with the distance to the next one. Click any step and the map zooms straight to that junction.
Distance between two points. Enter any two addresses, cities or landmarks to see the road distance in kilometres or miles, plus how long the trip takes.
Multi-stop trips. Add up to eight stops between your start and end point. Each leg shows its own distance and time.
Trip cost. Tell the planner how much fuel your car uses and what fuel costs where you are. It gives you a cost per trip, and you can add tolls or parking on top.
GPS coordinates. Switch to the GPS Coordinates tab to get the latitude and longitude of any place. The result is in both decimal and degrees-minutes-seconds format.
Route planner or route optimisation software?
The two sound alike but solve different problems. A route planner follows the order you give it and finds the best roads between those points. Route optimisation software decides the order for you. It reshuffles dozens or hundreds of stops to cut total driving, and often adjusts the plan during the day as traffic, delays or new orders come in.
| Route planner | Route optimiser | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Personal trips, road trips, a few stops | Delivery fleets, field service, many stops |
| Stop order | You choose it | Software chooses it |
| Changes during the trip | Re-plan manually | Updates automatically |
| Cost | Usually free | Usually a monthly subscription |
For most people planning a drive to work, a weekend away or a few errands, a route planner is all you need. If you manage a team of drivers with dozens of drops a day, optimisation software pays for itself in saved hours and fuel.
Tips for planning a better trip
Check the arrival time against your departure time, since the estimate assumes normal traffic. Add a little buffer for rush hour. On long drives, add a stop every two hours or so for a break. If you're comparing fuel costs, set your car's real consumption in the settings; the default is an average family car.
Frequently asked questions
Is Plan Your Route free to use?
Yes. There's no account to create and nothing to install. It works in any modern browser on desktop or phone.
How is the travel time calculated?
It uses typical road speeds for each road type. It doesn't include live traffic, so leave extra time at busy hours.
Can I share a route?
Yes. Press "Copy link" after planning a route and send the link to anyone. It opens the same route on their screen.
Which countries are covered?
The map and routing cover the whole world, based on OpenStreetMap road data.