There is a function in Google Maps that for some strange reason is unknown to many, while it is actually a good help if you want to explore an area.
If you go to a foreign city and want to see where you can go either by walking or by car in a period of time, say 2 hours, then you only have to consult Travel Time on Google Maps (Travel Time if you are in English language). It will help you by defining how far you can go in real spatial conditions.
It is especially useful when you are doing tourism and can make it easier for you to plan your trips. It is simple to use and is probably unknown to the general public.
Currently it works by giving information about walking or driving by car and it doesn't have any option to set other mode of travel like cycling or public transport or motorbike etc. It is also only available in the web version of Google Maps and you won't find it in the Android or iOS apps.
Enable Transition Time
step 1 : Go to Google Maps in your browser. You don't need to be signed in with your Google account.
step 2 : Click on the bottom left where the icon labeled “Layers” is to open a menu. you will see 4 options and a fifth one called “more”. Tap More.
step 3 : In the now expanded menu, under the heading “Map Tools” there is the icon “Transition Time”. Click on it to activate the feature.
step 4 : Once you turn on Transition Time you will see a new box appear at the bottom and center of Google Maps and this box will have grayed out options, meaning you still have no option but to turn it off.
Now click anywhere on the map to set a starting location. "Anywhere" cannot be a random point in the middle of nowhere, but must be a point of interest, a shop, a stop and generally a place named and marked.
step 5 : Once you've set a starting location, you'll be able to choose a drive time limit and travel method (walking or driving), and Google Maps will magically reveal how far you can get in that time.
You will see a shaded area on the map showing everywhere you could travel within the time limit via the travel method. It won't just show you a perfect circle but depending on the way you travel it cuts out places you can't go. Essentially you will see a vague shape that is the farthest points you can reach.
Although the shaded area is present in all the ways Maps are displayed, we recommend that you do not use “Satellite” or “Terrain” because they do not perform well visually. The time limits you can choose are:
Walking: 15 minutes or 30 minutes
Driving: 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours.
Depending on the time frame selected, you may need to zoom out of the map to be able to view the entire shaded area.
In the projection by car within 6 hours starting Syntagma, we have not yet understood how he calculated some Aegean islands and Zakynthos. He probably factored boat travel time into the equation if the response is immediate.
Aside from this odd point, there are two downsides to Transition Time:
- The estimate does not take into account traffic conditions and only represents a general idea of where you could go. It may be inaccurate during rush hour or if there is an accident somewhere.
- Not all locations currently have data, and some locations may only have driving data and not walking data.
Despite these shortcomings, the Travel Time mode is very playable and can be useful for getting a general idea of where you could go given certain parameters.
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