Google Maps is teaming up with Amtrak to make commuting to and from your holiday destination a breeze. Starting in 2019, you’ll be able to use Google Maps as your personal travel planner, and the company is offering a free year of service. The service will allow you to see all of the stops and stations that Amtrak has planned for your area, as well as the time of day that each stop will open. You can also plan your route using the map’s “directions” feature, which will show you how long it will take you to get from one end of town to the other. If you’re looking for a little more help while on vacation, Google has also created an app for Android and iOS that will help you plan your trip. The app is called TripAdvisor Traveler, and it offers a variety of features such as reviews of local businesses and attractions, as well as maps that show where each stop is located.
The holiday season is nearing. Christmas involves a lot of commuting — whether we’re talking about getting gifts for someone or simply visiting family or friends. Google Maps wants to make things easier for you and for those trips, which is why it has just added a bunch of new features.
Google Maps has added a handful of new features just in time for the holidays. They’re all minor changes, but they help improve your overall experience using the app and commuting with it in general. For one, the app will give you indicators for whether a place you’re visiting has wheelchair-friendly entrances, which comes in handy for avoiding buildings that aren’t up to current accessibility standards.
If you have an electric car, you’ll also see new filters when you’re looking up charging stations on the app. More specifically, you can now check if a charging station supports fast charging — when toggling the “fast charge” filter, you’ll now see multiple stations with chargers 50kW or higher that you can use to top up your car faster. And with the charging port on cars being non-standard, it can also be hard to find a charging station with the right plug, which is why a filter for seeing only the options compatible with your car is rolling out in more countries.
Finally, but not least important, the app’s AR-fueled Live View feature is now rolling out in more cities, including London, Los Angeles, New York, Paris, San Francisco, and Tokyo. With it, you can just pull out your phone and see nearby places, whether they’re open or closed, and if something’s in front of you or around the block. It can be tremendously useful if used right.
All of these features should begin rolling out from now on the Google Maps app.
Source: Google
