Google Maps brings new features for European travelers

Google Maps is introducing four exciting updates in Europe to make travel easier and greener. These changes focus on helping people choose eco-friendly ways to get around, like walking, biking, or taking public transit. First, Google is expanding its AI-powered suggestions for alternative travel options in cities like Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Warsaw.

The app will show that walking or taking a bus is just as fast as driving, encouraging users to skip the car. This feature will roll out to more cities soon. Next, cyclists in 17 European cities, including Hamburg, Madrid, and Vienna, will get better route details. The app now highlights bike lanes and warns about busy roads or steep hills, making biking safer and easier.

This update covers 125,000 kilometers of bike paths worldwide. For drivers, Google Maps now offers fuel-saving routes globally. This feature helped cut 2.7 million metric tons of emissions in 2024, like taking 630,000 cars off the road for a year. Finally, Google is adding alerts for over 1,000 restricted zones in countries like Italy and Sweden.

These notifications help drivers check if their vehicle can enter certain areas and find other routes if needed. Since iOS 18.4, iPhone users in the EU can set Google Maps as their default navigation app. These updates make Google Maps a great choice for sustainable and smooth travel in Europe.