About This Article
This article was generated using an automated workflow powered by generative AI.
We review official Google primary sources to outline the Routes API for calculating routes, distances, and travel times. We also note the generational differences compared to the legacy Directions API and Distance Matrix API.
Information Verification Date: September 19, 2026
In a Nutshell
The Routes API is a Google Maps Platform API that calculates travel routes from an origin to a destination directly from your application,
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Category | Google Maps Platform / Routes |
| Primary Objective | Calculation of routes, distances, and times |
| Main Operations | Compute Routes / Compute Route Matrix |
| Location Specification | Place IDs, coordinates, addresses, Plus Codes, etc. |
| Simultaneous use | Places, Geocoding, and Maps JavaScript APIs |
flowchart LR O[出発地] --> R[Routes API] D[目的地] --> R W[経由地] --> R R --> Route[経路] R --> Time[所要時間] R --> Distance[距離]
Key points
Google officially recommends using Place IDs for location specification to ensure efficiency and accuracy. Address strings are converted to coordinates internally, which can introduce ambiguity. Request only the necessary items in the response using field masks to minimize unnecessary data and reduce latency.
Practical examples
General users and administrative staffuse the delivery, visit, and route planning screens,IT administratorsmanage billing, quotas, authentication, and location data, anddevelopersimplement route rendering and distance and duration calculations between locations.
Bridge for those with Microsoft experience
Although the concept is similar to Azure Maps Route services, Google's Place IDs, traffic data, pricing, and terms of use are distinct. Understand it as "using the Google Maps routing engine as an API."
Safe testing
Execute a minimal request using only two public facilities, and define the successful return of the route, distance, and duration as the success criteria. Next, change only a single parameter, such as the travel mode. Do not use home addresses or real user movement history in your sample data.
Official Google information
Article-specific re-evaluation
The core of the Routes API consists of Compute Routes and Compute Route Matrix. You specify origins, destinations, travel modes, etc., to retrieve distance/duration and route information. Designing a constrained response field mask is also important.
Papanda TRY
Convert a browser card calculating distance and time between two points, using public dummy inputs such as Tokyo Station to Ueno Station, into a Daily Code. For the public version that does not execute the API, it reads a fixture JSON and switches cards when the locations are changed.
What kind of service is this ultimately?
An API that integrates Google Maps' route calculation capabilities into your own delivery, visitation, or travel applications.First, you retrieve a route between two points and verify the meanings of the Place ID and field mask.
