I was wondering what people's preferred method of navigation is. I know once in the city I will be using maps, and I feel pretty comfortable with doing that, but before I leave I'd like to print out walking directions to and from hotels to the train station or airport.
Has anyone used google maps or mapquest? Are they pretty reliable? I know they can't be used exclusively without a local map, but I thought printing some directions out might be helpful.
Any advice or wisdom for me?
Posted by
Calgary
2297 posts
I use google maps regularly in Europe, most recently in Germany and Italy. Worked like a charm for us, even in a city like Berlin that has changed a lot over the past years.
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
I look at google quite a bit for their walking directions -- mostly out of curiosity rather than what you propose. In the areas I know well enough to "argue" with them, they miss short-cuts, route you through busy intersections, etc -- but they do get you there. I have not looked at mapquest in years.
I wouldn't bother with what you're talking about. Seems like a lot of trouble when glancing at a map and following your nose would work just as well. More stuff to keep track of too.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19117 posts
I always use Google maps. Sometimes I use the map that the town has on their website, because it usually has local attractions better marked, but more and more, they are using Google maps. I just download them to my netbook.
Posted by
OP
St. Louis, MO, USA
225 posts
Lee, do you download specific directions or just the maps in general..
Posted by
Tustin, CA, USA
92 posts
I recall looking for walking directions on google maps for London, but I dug around a bit more and found a walking directions website, and I remember there was something about avoiding busy streets, or areas likely to have more air pollution, or something like that. I don't remember the exact website, but it could have been this one:
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19117 posts
Jesse, I just do a screen capture of the map itself. Usually, if it's Google maps, I have already had it map out the route to my destination.
I'm a visual sort of person, so a picture is worth more to me than a route description.
Posted by
Calgary
2297 posts
walkit.com looks great. But I can't find anything on the website for cities outside the UK. Am I missing something?
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
To clarify a bit: Ordnance Survey (without an 'i') maps, even at a scale of 1:1250, have both a relative and absolute accuracy of 0.5 meters, not one meter as stated. OS products are available with a scale as large as 1:200 with much greater accuracy.
Even if a map is accurate to one meter, it is generally inconsequential. Crude example: A map of France that fits pretty much on a piece of typing paper is at at scale of 1:4,000,000, more or less. Draw a 1/16 inch wide pencil line on it, and that line is 4/10 of a mile wide. Expand the map to four pieces of paper and the line's still 2/10 of mile wide (about 325 meters). Make the map the size of your living room floor and the line is still probably seventy-five feet wide.
Boring, but one-meter accuracy is of no importance.