The official blog for Google Maps
Hop on board—and go almost anywhere—with public transit on Google Maps
May 14, 2014
Over 70 percent of the world’s population doesn’t own a car
1
—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
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
May 6, 2014
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
Go back in time with Street View
April 23, 2014
If you’ve ever dreamt of being a time traveler like
Doc Brown
, now’s your chance. Starting today, you can travel to the past to see how a place has changed over the years by exploring Street View imagery in
Google Maps
for desktop. We've gathered historical imagery from past Street View collections dating back to 2007 to create this digital time capsule of the world.
If you see a clock icon in the upper left-hand portion of a Street View image, click on it and move the slider through time and select a thumbnail to see that same place in previous years or seasons.
Now with Street View, you can see a landmark's growth from the ground up, like the
Freedom Tower
in New York City or the
2014 World Cup Stadium
in Fortaleza, Brazil. This new feature can also serve as a digital timeline of recent history, like the reconstruction after the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami in
Onagawa, Japan
. You can even experience different seasons and see what it would be like to cruise
Italian roadways
in both summer and winter.
Construction of the
Freedom Tower
, New York City
Destruction in
Onagawa
, Japan after the 2011 earthquake
Forget going 88 mph in a
DeLorean
—you can stay where you are and use Google Maps to virtually explore the world as it is—and as it was. Happy (time) traveling!
Posted by Vinay Shet, Google Street View Product Manager
From Lake Tanganyika to Google Earth: Using tech to help our communities
April 3, 2014
Today we're joined by Dr. Jane Goodall, primatologist and founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and Roots & Shoots program. In this post, Dr. Goodall shares her thoughts on how today’s technology can enable more people around the world to make a difference in their communities. Join Dr. Goodall for a celebratory
Birthday Hangout on Air
today at 11 a.m. PDT/2 p.m. EDT.
-Ed.
When I first set foot on the shores of
Lake Tanganyika
in 1960 to study chimpanzee behavior, I carried with me notebooks, pencils and a pair of second-hand binoculars. I was, at the time, a young woman with no scientific training, but had a strong passion for learning about animals in Africa. In later years I founded the
Jane Goodall Institute
, dedicated to preserving the habitat of chimpanzees and other animals worldwide.
The author connects with a member of the Kasakela chimpanzee community in Gombe.
Photo courtesy of JGI.
Today, the mapping technology available to all of us is completely changing the potential for animal and environmental research. My trip in 1960 would have looked quite different today. You have much more power at your fingertips, and you don't even have to leave your home. Tools like
Google Earth
let you visit the shores of Lake Tanganyika with just a few keystrokes. And in
Gombe
, local villagers are using Android smartphones and tablets, in conjunction with Google Maps Engine and Earth Engine, to
monitor changes in the forest habitat
that affect chimpanzee populations. Technology makes it so easy for people to find and share information and to understand the world around them. And once we understand, we can start to foster positive change.
The Jane Goodall Institute engages local communities from Tanzania, Uganda and across Africa to collect data on forests, wildlife and human activities using Google Android handheld devices.
Photo courtesy of JGI/Lilian Pintea.
That’s one of the reasons we started the
Roots & Shoots
program to connect young people with the knowledge and tools they need to solve problems in their communities. The projects undertaken by these young people help them learn important science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills while developing real leadership capabilities. Today, Roots & Shoots is launching a new
community mapping tutorial
for young people to help them use digital mapping technology to identify and address needs in their community. If you’re an educator, we offer online professional development to help you fit our youth leadership model into your classroom and curriculum. You can sign up for the
Roots & Shoots MOOC
to learn more.
Roots & Shoots groups from Uganda, Tanzania, and Republic of Congo share their projects.
There are more than 8,000 Roots & Shoots groups in 136 countries. Photos courtesy of JGI.
Today, on my 80th birthday, my wish is for young people around the world to think about the ways you can use technology to learn more about the wonderful world we share. Then, to take action, and inspire others to do the same. You have the power to do so much more than I did in 1960, to spark change I could only imagine back then. And you can do it no matter where in the world you are.
Posted by Dr. Jane Goodall
Wander through Angkor’s thousand-year-old temples on Street View
April 2, 2014
The sunrise at Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia, is one of Southeast Asia’s most iconic and breathtaking vistas. Dawn brings to light the many temples that are thousands of years old, nestled in a web of ancient roads and jungles. Today you’ll be one step closer to that view as we are making more than 100 of these historic sites available online with Street View on Google Maps.
The temples at Angkor each have a unique story—whether it’s the way they were built, the ancient Khmer cities they sit on, or the artwork they contain. To give you the most complete picture, our team used all the tools available to us: Street View cars,
Trekkers
and tripods to carefully photograph the exteriors and interiors of Angkor’s temples as they stand today.
With more than 90,000 new panoramic images views, we hope Cambodians and others around the world can experience these cultural and archaeological treasures in an entirely new way. Whether it’s revisiting iconic sites such as
Bayon Temple
in time for the
Khmer New Year
or studying the
Ramayana’s Battle of Lanka bas relief carvings
within
Angkor Wat
, Street View can help you more easily explore Angkor’s rich heritage.
Bayon Temple at Angkor Thom
Ramayana Gallery at Angkor Wat West
After roaming the temples, you can also experience more of Angkor’s rich historical and artistic heritage through the
Google Cultural Institute
. From 12th-century sculpture and mid-20th century photography to modern-day renderings of medieval Angkor life, nearly 300
exhibits
across the Google Cultural Institute can give you a look at Khmer culture through the ages.
We hope this new imagery will not only let people experience the scale and beauty of Angkor wherever they are, but also demonstrate how technology can change the way cultural treasures are preserved for generations to come.
Manik Gupta, Group Product Manager, Google Maps
Become a Pokémon Master with Google Maps
March 31, 2014
We value employees who are risk-taking and detail-oriented, have deep technical knowledge, and can navigate through tall grass to capture wild creatures. It turns out that these skills have a lot in common with another profession—that of the Pokémon Master. With that in mind, we’ve worked with Pokémon and Nintendo to develop a new training tool to help people hone their Pokémon-capturing abilities using Google Maps.
Dozens of wild Pokémon have taken up residence on streets, amidst forests and atop mountains throughout Google Maps. To find and catch ‘em all, you’ll need to tap into your inner Pokémon Master.
If you think you’re up to the challenge, grab your Poké Ball and the newest version of Google Maps for
iPhone
or
Android
. Then tap the search bar, “press start,” and begin your quest.
Leave no stone unturned or city unzoomed as you seek out wild Charizards and Pikachus to add to your Pokédex. Be vigilant—you never know if a wild Steelix will appear in Tokyo, Japan or New York City, USA. And follow Google Maps on
Google+
,
Facebook
and
Twitter
for hints and tips.
Time is of the essence—in the words of Professor Oak, “The early bird gets the worm, or in this case, the Pokémon.”
Update: We hope you've enjoyed wading through water and tall grass to catch Pokemon all over the world this April Fools' Day. Good Mews for trainers who want the fun to last
—
those who have caught 5 or more Pokemon can still continue their quest to catch 'em all for a little while longer with Google Maps for
iPhone
and
Android
.
©Google; Pokemon content © Pokemon/Nintendo/Creatures/GAME FREAK
Tatsuo Nomura, Advanced Pokémon Trainer
Helping our communities adapt to climate change
March 19, 2014
Today the White House
announced
the
Climate Data Initiative
, aimed at helping organizations and communities use public data to better understand and prepare for the effects of climate change. Up until now, it’s been difficult for the public to locate detailed, timely data relevant to climate-related risks such as
extreme weather events
. To help address this challenge, Google is donating cloud computing storage and access to other tools to support institutions that are driving
climate change resilience
.
First, we’re providing 50 million hours of high-performance computing on the
Google Earth Engine
geospatial analysis platform. Earth Engine brings together the world’s satellite imagery with tools to help detect changes and map trends on the Earth’s surface. Earth Engine has already been applied to unlock valuable information from the 40+ year treasure trove of Landsat satellite data (USGS/NASA), including an
interactive timelapse of the planet
from 1984-2012, the
first high-resolution global maps of deforestation
, and a near real-time
deforestation alert system
that allows anyone interested in forest monitoring to take part. We hope that with this new donation, researchers will
focus on applying Earth Engine
to address climate-related risks such as managing agricultural water supplies and modeling the impacts of sea-level rise and storm surge.
We’re also
partnering with leading researchers
, allowing them to scale their work with Earth Engine and quickly move from the laboratory into people’s hands. Together with academic partners in the western U.S., we’ll produce the first high-resolution, near real-time drought monitoring and mapping products for the entire continental United States—and make them freely available to the public.
Traditional static graphic showing record-breaking drought in California in Feb 2014. Red = Dry; Blue = Wet. Source: the Desert Research Institute, University of Idaho and University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Finally, we’re donating one petabyte (one billion megabytes) of cloud storage to house satellite observations, digital elevation data, and climate/weather model datasets. We encourage the global community to work with us on this project by contributing and curating data, and developing public-benefit applications. We’re already collaborating with researchers at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, University of Bristol U.K. and the government of Australia.
See how Google Maps Engine was used to highlight the vulnerabilities associated with rising sea levels, storm surges, and coastal inundations in the Republic of Vanuatu. The darker blue shows present-day inundation of the Efate lagoon during a high astronomical tide, and the lighter blue shows predicted inundation in 2090 due to sea level rise. Source: Australian Government and the Cooperative Research Centre for Spatial Information.
To find out more
, visit the
Earth Engine website
, view a
sample map
on the Google Maps Gallery, follow us on
Google+
and
Twitter
, and tune in to
White House live stream
today at 5:15pm EDT.
Posted by Tyler Erickson, Developer Advocate, Google Earth Engine
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