Google Maps
Works almost everywhere except mainland China. Offline maps are critical when roaming.
What Google Maps is
Google Maps is the go-to navigation app for most of the world, offering driving, walking, cycling, and public-transit directions plus reviews, hours, and photos for places. Travelers rely on it for routing in unfamiliar cities and for finding nearby food, ATMs, and attractions. Its downloadable offline maps make it especially valuable when roaming or avoiding data costs.
What it does for travelers
- ✓Turn-by-turn navigation for driving, walking, cycling, and transit
- ✓Downloadable offline maps for navigation without a data connection
- ✓Public-transit schedules and routing in many cities worldwide
- ✓Business listings with hours, reviews, photos, and contact details
- ✓Saved places and custom lists for trip planning
Good to know
- It does not work reliably in mainland China, where local apps are the norm.
- Offline maps cover a downloaded region but exclude live transit and traffic; download areas before you lose signal.
- Core navigation is free; an account is optional but enables saved places and timeline.
- Live features like traffic and real-time transit need a data connection.
Tips from the road
- Download the offline map of your destination region while on Wi-Fi before departure to navigate without roaming charges.
- In mainland China, plan to use a local map app, since Google Maps positioning is unreliable there.
- Save your hotel, key sights, and the nearest transit stops as starred places so you can find your way back easily.
- Check the transit tab for local bus and metro routing, which is often more current than guessing from a paper map.
When to reach for it
Use Google Maps as your default almost anywhere outside mainland China, especially when you want offline navigation and broad coverage of businesses and transit in one app.
Travelers use Google Maps in
Google Maps — frequently asked
Does Google Maps work offline?
Yes, you can download map areas in advance for offline turn-by-turn navigation, though live traffic and real-time transit require data.
Why doesn't Google Maps work well in China?
Mainland China restricts Google services and uses a different mapping system, so positioning and routing are unreliable; local apps work better there.
How do I avoid roaming charges while navigating?
Download offline maps over Wi-Fi before you travel; offline navigation then works without using mobile data.