When you plan a getaway, a long road trip, or a route of errands around town, you usually don't just have a starting point and a destination, but a good number of intermediate stopsPicking someone up, stopping at the gas station, delivering packages, visiting clients, or stopping at various tourist spots—Google Maps is the app almost everyone uses to get around, but as soon as you try to go beyond the classic "go from A to B," its limitations become apparent.
The good news is that with a little skill you can plan routes with multiple stops in Google MapsIt works from both computers and mobile devices. The downside is that the tool was designed as a turn-by-turn navigation app, not an advanced logistics planner, so there's a limit to the number of stops, some hidden tricks, and when things get complicated, it makes more sense to use dedicated route optimization software like Routific, Routerra, or SimpliRoute.
How to use Google Maps to create routes with multiple stops?
The easiest way to design a complex route is using Google Maps on a computerYou have a bigger screen, you can see all the stops at a glance, and it's easier to drag and rearrange without making a mistake. You can do practically the same thing on your phone, but a misplaced tap can ruin the route and force you to start from scratch.
Before opening Maps, it's great to have all addresses prepared on one sheet For spreadsheets (Excel, Google Sheets, etc.): place names, exact addresses, and any notes (opening hours, phone number, contact person, etc.). This reduces mistakes and saves you time copying and pasting.
Add origin, destination, and first stops
To get started, open Google Maps in your browser and Find the first place you want to use on the routeYou can type in an address, a business name, or even click directly on the map. It's important to double-check that you choose the correct location, as there are sometimes several with similar names.
With that point selected, press the button “How to get there” or “Directions”The route panel will open with two boxes: one for the starting point and one for the destination you just selected. By default, the top box usually says "Your location"; if you want to start somewhere else (for example, the warehouse or your house), change it by typing the address or clicking on the map.
At this point you already have a simple route, with a starting point and an ending point. To make it a route with several stops, you need to use the “Add destination” option, which you will see right below the two destinations you just entered.
How to add up to 10 stops in Google Maps
Each time you click on “Add destination”, it will appear a new box to enter another stopThere you can type an address, a specific location, or simply tap on the map to place the point. Repeat the process until you complete the list of places you want to visit.
Google Maps lets you a maximum of 10 destinations per routeThis count includes both the starting and ending points. In other words, you can have your origin and up to 9 additional stops. If you try to add more, the add button will be disabled or a warning will appear indicating that you have reached the limit.
As you add stops, make sure you have chosen the correct mode of transport (Car, on foot, bicycle, or motorcycle). Public transport does not allow routes with multiple stops, so for this type of planning, it is normal to use car mode. Each change of mode may alter the estimated times and suggested routes.
Reorganize and improve the order of the stops
Once you've entered all the stops, you'll see a sort of... on the map “plate of spaghetti” If you added them in random order, this is normal: Google Maps respects the exact order in which you entered the destinations. It does not optimize the sequence itself.
To fix that mess, in the address side panel you can drag each stop with the six-dot icon (next to each address) and drop it up or down in the list. This way you manually reorder your route, for example starting with the westernmost stop in the city and ending with the easternmost, or grouping visits by neighborhoods.
When you move any point, Google Maps instantly recalculates the route and total timeOn busy city routes, a simple change in the order of stops can reduce the journey from over three hours to considerably less, without altering the number of stops. It's a matter of trying different sequences until the route "feels good" and doesn't seem like you're just crossing the city aimlessly.
Share and open your route on your mobile
Once you have the route the way you want it, you can send it to your mobile device or share it with others. From your desktop, you can access the route menu. use the “Share” or “Copy link” optionThe link it generates points to your full route as it is currently configured.
You can send that link via email, WhatsApp, SMS or your preferred appOr save it to your notes for later use. When you open it on a mobile device, the browser will offer to open it with Google Maps, and you'll see the exact route ready to start navigating.
For those who prefer to use the "Send to phone" option, it's worth noting that It sometimes fails, especially on iOSThe shareable link is more reliable because it doesn't depend on receiving a specific notification; it simply opens the URL.
Create and manage routes with stops from your mobile phone
On Android and iOS the process is very similar. First you search for a destination, then you tap on “How to get there” and you choose your mode of transport. Then, from the route screen, you can add stops in two main ways:
- In the route overview, tap the three point menu (top right) and select “Add stop” or “Add destination”. There you will add addresses one by one, just like on the computer.
- If you already have navigation running and you remember that you have to pass by a place (gas station, supermarket…), tap the search magnifying glass that appears during navigationYou'll see shortcuts to gas stations, restaurants, supermarkets, cafes, and a search bar for other addresses; when you choose one, Maps inserts it as an intermediate stop and tells you how much extra time it adds to your journey.
You can also do it on your mobile phone rearrange the stops by dragging each line in the address list before starting navigation or even during the trip if you stop for a moment. And from the same three-dot menu you have the option to “Share directions”which generates a link so that the other person can open exactly the same route in their own Google Maps.
Customize and adjust your routes in Google Maps
Beyond adding stops, Google Maps offers several Options to adapt the route to your preferencesFor example, if you don't want to pay tolls or prefer to avoid highways, you can customize it from your computer or mobile phone.
In the desktop version, once the path is configured, click on "Options" within the address panel. There you can check boxes such as "Tolls" or "Highways" so that the system avoids them and recalculates a new route according to those restrictions.
Another useful function is change the departure or arrival time (Available for routes with a single destination.) In the directions panel, you'll see a dropdown menu that usually says "Leave now." Clicking it lets you select "Leave at" or "Arrive before" and set a date and time. Google Maps combines historical and projected traffic to suggest the best time and route.
Meanwhile, on the map you will see All alternative routes are shown in gray. and the one considered best is in blue. You can manually select another one if it suits you better, for example because it goes along a road you like or avoids a section you know is often a bottleneck.
Preview the route with Street View
If you're having trouble navigating a complicated intersection or are worried about finding the entrance to an industrial park, you can Use Street View to see specific steps along the routeWith the route already calculated, click on “Details” and then on “Expand” to show all the instructions.
When you hover the mouse over each step, if images are available, it will appear a preview photoBy clicking on it, you enter Street View at that exact point, and you can advance step by step with "Previous Step" or "Next Step" to see all the critical turns before you get behind the wheel.
My Google Maps: custom maps with many more locations
When the goal is not just to navigate but save a lot of places, group them by categories And to have them always at hand, Google My Maps (Custom Maps) is a very interesting alternative. It's not an optimized route planner per se, but it is a powerful tool for visualizing many points on the same map.
You can go directly into mymaps.google.com Or from Google Maps by tapping the menu icon (the three horizontal lines), and then Saved > Maps. You'll see a "Create a new map" button and below it any maps you've already created or been invited to.
Add and customize places in My Maps
Within your new map, you just need to use the search bar for adding sites One by one. Each time you choose a location, you can add it to your map and it will be marked with an icon. You can also click directly on the map to mark custom positions.
Each map in My Maps can hold up to 2.000 different locationsSo it's perfect for creating, for example, a map of all your favorite restaurants, playgrounds in a city, or customers spread over a very large area.
Also, you can customize icons, colors, and names For each point, add notes, comments, and other useful information. This makes it ideal for sharing themed maps, such as a pub crawl, a festival with different venues, or points of interest for a long trip.
My Maps organizes information into layersThese appear as lists on the right-hand side. You can have one layer for shops, another for bars, another for monuments, or for different areas of the city (Historic Center, neighborhood X, etc.). By checking and unchecking each layer, you control what is displayed at any given time.
Create routes in My Maps with directions layers
My Maps also allows you to add routes within these custom maps, although with limitations. To do this, tap the [icon/button] at the top. Tap the "Draw line" icon and select "Add driving route" (on foot, by bike, etc.). Then, you click on the starting point, then on the next location, and My Maps generates a route between them.
When creating a route, the following appears a new layer of “Indications” with a list of destinations and an "Add Destination" button to continue adding places. Each of these layers supports up to 10 locations, just like in standard Google Maps. If you need to include more, you'll have to create multiple route layers (Route 1, Route 2, etc.) within the same map.
To see distance and time details, click on the three dots next to the layer name and select “Detailed directions.” A panel will open with all the route steps and a summary of kilometers and estimated time at the top.
Everything you do in My Maps will be It automatically saves to your Google account. And it's accessible from Google Drive. You can show or hide layers using their checkboxes, so the display doesn't become chaotic when you have many points and multiple routes.
Share and use your My Maps map on your mobile device
Sharing a map is as simple as pressing the button “Share” and choose the access levelThe usual practice is to use "Anyone with the link can view," unless you have sensitive information. Then copy the URL and send it however you like.
To view it on your mobile device, open the Google Maps app, go to “Saved” > “Maps” And there you'll find your My Maps. When you open one, you'll see all the points and layers exactly as they were saved.
What My Maps does not allow is use one of those routes directly to navigate continuously Just like a regular Google Maps route. To get turn-by-turn directions, tap on the first stop in your layer, tap "Directions," and let Google Maps (the regular app) calculate that part of the route. Once you complete that section, repeat the process for the next stop. It's a bit more manual, but viable for shorter routes.
Google Maps' 10-stop limit and how to get around it
Everything above is great until you run into Google Maps' biggest limitation: the 10-destination limit For daily commutes or short trips with few stops, it's more than enough. But for deliveries, service routes, intensive business visits, or road trips with dozens of points of interest, it falls far short.
Google has not published an official explanation, but everything points to it being a matter of performance and simplicityMost users only need a handful of destinations, and a route with 30 or 40 points would be difficult to manage on screen and heavier to process.
Even so, there are several ways to working with more than 10 stops using Google Maps indirectlycombining tricks and outdoor tools.
Divide your trip into several segments
The simplest solution is to split the route into blocks of 10 stops or lessYou create Route A with your first 10 addresses, complete it, and then start Route B from the last stop of the previous one, and so on.
This method is straightforward and always works, but it requires manage multiple routes separatelyMake sure you don't forget any section and, above all, redistribute the directions yourself if you want the overall order to make sense and not make you zigzag between areas.
Use My Maps as a points database
Another convenient approach is to use My Maps as "warehouse" for all your stopsYou can fit hundreds of points onto a single map, group them by layers (zones, days of the week, customer types, etc.) and from there, create sections of 10 stops that you then convert into normal Google Maps routes.
In practice, My Maps helps you to visualize the whole and not lose sight of the big pictureHowever, when navigating, you'll still encounter the limitation of 10 destinations per directions layer. It's a useful compromise if your focus isn't so much on daily logistics as it is on trip planning or thematic maps.
The advanced URL trick
There's a slightly geeky trick for those who are good with URLs: it basically consists of edit the web address of a Google Maps route to add more stops than the interface allows. Each Maps route is represented in the URL as a sequence of addresses separated by slashes, something like this: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/origen/destino1/destino2/....
The idea is to create several independent routes, each with a maximum of 10 stops, and then copy and paste segments of those URLs to combine them into a single link, removing the part that begins with /data= and continuing with more addresses separated by “/”. Once the “megalink” is assembled, you open it in your browser or send it to your mobile phone.
It works, but it's a delicate and unofficial methodIf Google changes URL formats, it might stop working; a copying error can break the entire path, and there's no guarantee the mobile app will always process it correctly. It's for advanced users who really want to experiment and don't mind struggling with raw text.
Why is a dedicated route planner usually a better option?
If you often find yourself struggling with the 10-stop limit, what you probably need is not to "get more out of" Maps, but incorporate a specialized route planner to your daily life. Google Maps is fantastic for navigation, but it falters when many addresses and logistical requirements come into play.
The specific tools for multiple routes are designed precisely for that purpose: They accept dozens or hundreds of stopsThey allow you to import them from spreadsheets, automatically reorder them to save time and fuel, and in many cases, take into account time windows, service priorities, or vehicle types.
In this scenario, it is common to use Google Maps only as “navigation engine” step by step, while the brain that decides the order and allocation of stops is provided by external software such as Routific, Routerra or SimpliRoute.
Routific: Chrome extension and delivery platform
Routific is a platform focused on delivery route optimizationFor those already working with Google Maps in the browser, it offers a free Chrome extension that integrates directly with your maps.
After installing it from the Chrome Web Store and connecting it to your Google account, you can create a route in Google Maps with your stops As usual, and with a click on the Routific panel, launch the optimization algorithm. In just a few seconds, it reorganizes the sequence of stops to make the route much more efficient.
Once the route is optimized, it opens a new Google Maps tab with improved sortingwhich you can share and use just like any other. Routific's side panel can be hidden so it doesn't get in the way, and if you want, you can upgrade to their full platform, which adds features like delivery receipts, customer notifications, and driver tracking.
For delivery drivers, courier companies, or businesses that make daily home deliveries, the savings in planning time and kilometers traveled It can be huge compared to rearranging stops one by one by eye on Google Maps.
Routerra: a 20-200+ stop planner that integrates with Maps
Routerra is another modern solution designed precisely for those who find Google's 10 stops insufficient. It allows plan routes with between 20 and more than 200 stops in a single optimization, something that already enters the realm of serious logistics.
Stops can be added manually, by tapping on the map or importing a list from a file or spreadsheetIt even has AI-assisted functions to extract addresses from text or photos, which greatly speeds up data loading if you don't have them in a clean format.
Once you have all the addresses loaded, you press the button route optimization Routerra recalculates the most efficient route, taking into account real-time distances and times. You can adjust it to prioritize time or distance, avoid tolls, or apply specific vehicle parameters.
The result can export to your favorite navigation app (Google Maps, Waze, Apple Maps, etc.), so Routerra handles all the planning and Google Maps simply guides you turn-by-turn as usual. For occasional use, there's a free plan with up to 20 stops, and the Pro version increases the limit to around 200, designed for intensive professional routes.
SimpliRoute: a business approach to optimization
SimpliRoute is software more focused on logistics operations of companies that need to manage many vehicles, hundreds of daily deliveries, and continuous monitoring. In addition to optimizing routes with multiple stops, it integrates real-time tracking, performance analysis, and communication with drivers.
Its main objective is to reduce costs (mileage, fuel, overtime) and improve delivery timesThis is crucial when managing a fleet or a large distribution service. As in other cases, Google Maps is usually relegated to the final navigation option on drivers' mobile phones.
Common uses of routes with multiple stops
Being able to play with routes with many stops opens the door to Take advantage of Google Maps (and complementary tools) in a multitude of situations of daily life and work.
In logistics and delivery, for example, a driver can visit dozens of customers in a single day if The sequence of stops is well optimized.Instead of spending the morning driving across the city, he makes deliveries by zone and greatly reduces his driving time.
For group trips or road trips, adding intermediate stops in Maps helps you Mark viewpoints, towns, restaurants and attractions without missing a thing along the way. You can create the route on your computer, share it with the rest of the group, and have everyone follow the same itinerary on their phones.
For sales or technical teams that visit multiple customers or facilities per day, having a well-planned route makes things easier. maximize visits and arrive at the agreed time. Combined with lists of places saved in Google Maps, it becomes very quick to select who to visit each day.
And for personal use, My Maps lends itself wonderfully to collect and teach thematic maps: your favorite taco stands or bars, recommended playgrounds, urban art murals, key spots of a festival… Then you just have to share the link with friends or family.
In the end, Google Maps is still the king of everyday navigationBut when many stops and specific requirements start to appear, it's the combination with My Maps and dedicated route planners like Routific, Routerra or SimpliRoute that makes the difference, allowing you to save hours of planning and a few extra kilometers on each trip. Share the information so that more people know about the topic.