Amap (Gaode Maps)
China's most accurate maps app. Required since Google Maps doesn't work well in China.
What Amap (Gaode Maps) is
Amap, also called Gaode Maps, is one of China's leading navigation apps and offers far more accurate, up-to-date mapping inside mainland China than Google Maps, which is unreliable there. Travelers use it for driving directions, walking routes, public-transit planning, and finding nearby restaurants and attractions. Because China's mapping is tightly localized, an app like Amap is close to essential for getting around.
What it does for travelers
- ✓Highly accurate street, transit, and walking maps for mainland China
- ✓Turn-by-turn driving navigation with live traffic
- ✓Detailed subway and bus routing in major Chinese cities
- ✓Points of interest with hours, reviews, and ratings
- ✓Ride-hailing and taxi integration within the app
Good to know
- The app is primarily in Chinese, and English support is limited, so menus and some results can be hard to read without translation help.
- Free to download and use.
- Maps and search rely on a data connection; offline map downloads may be available but the interface to enable them is in Chinese.
- Place names and addresses are often in Chinese characters, which affects searching.
Tips from the road
- Search using Chinese characters or paste a destination name in Chinese for the most reliable results.
- Pair Amap with a translation app to read POI details and menu screens.
- Set up a working China data plan (local SIM, eSIM, or roaming) since the app needs connectivity for live routing.
- Transit directions are excellent for navigating China's extensive subway systems by station name.
When to reach for it
Use Amap whenever you're navigating inside mainland China, where Google Maps data is poor or inaccessible. It's the local-accuracy choice for directions, transit, and finding places.
Travelers use Amap (Gaode Maps) in
Amap (Gaode Maps) — frequently asked
Does Amap work in English?
English support is limited and the app is built primarily for Chinese users. A translation app alongside it helps a lot with reading place names and details.
Why use Amap instead of Google Maps in China?
Google Maps is unreliable in mainland China due to access and data-licensing issues, while Amap has accurate, current local mapping and transit data.
Can I use Amap offline?
Offline map downloads may be available, but most navigation and search functions assume a live data connection, so plan to have China mobile data.