map with travel times

What is TravelTime?

Create a Travel Time Map

Travel time map generator & isochrones, i know i can get from a to b by public transport within my selected time, but it's not showing up.

• Walking to the station platform
• Waiting for the next available departure
• Time spent boarding the train
• Giving enough time to take the A to B journey
• Depart on the station on the other side.

You can't drive that far / you can drive much further than that"

• Open another mapping app of your choice and enter an A to B route
• Select a departure time for tomorrow.

Still not convinced?

About this tool, what is a travel time map, how to create a drive time radius map or other modes.

• Select a start location
• Select a maximum travel time limit
• Select a mode of transport, for example driving
• Voila! There's your driving radius map

Use cases for consumers

• Create a commute time map so you can see where to live based on commute time.
• How far can i travel in a given time: compare transport coverage for different areas.
• Create a drive time radius map: explore how far you can travel on a road trip.

Use cases for businesses

• Travel time mapping up to 4 hours & cross reference other data sets in GIS such as population data
• Site selection analysis: analyse the best location to locate a business by adding thousands of analysis points
• Create a distance matrix or travel time matrix & calculate travel times from thousands of origins to thousands of destinations
• Network analysis / travelling salesman problem: use spatial analytics to solve routing problems
• Commute time map - plot thousands of employee commute times for an office relocation
• Create up to 3 time polygons visualising where's reachable within 2 hours or less. Our API can create large travel time areas, talk to sales.
• Calculate travel times from an origin to various points of interest - in this demo we use points from Foursquare Give A to B routing details

Full access

• Book a demo
• Trial TravelTime API
• Trial QGIS Plugin
• Trial ArcGIS Pro Add-In
• Trial Alteryx Macros

TravelTime Features

• See 'How far can I get' in X minutes
• Create a drive time map or any other transport mode
• Overlap many shapes & highlight overlap area
• Search points of interest within the area
• Get A to B routing details

• © Roadtrippers
• © Mapbox
• © OpenStreetMap
• Improve this map

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Get directions & show routes

You can get directions for driving, public transit, walking, ride sharing, cycling, flight, or motorcycle on Google Maps. If there are multiple routes, the best route to your destination is blue, all other routes are gray. Some directions in Google Maps are in development and may have limited availability. 

Important: Stay alert when you use directions on Google Maps. Always be aware of your surroundings to ensure the safety of yourself and others. When in doubt, follow actual traffic regulations and confirm signage from the road or path that you’re on.

• On your computer, open Google Maps .

• Click points on the map, type an address, or add a place name.

Tip: To choose another route in any transportation mode, select it on the map. Each route shows the estimated travel time on the map.

Google Maps transportation modes

You can get directions for different modes of transportation in Google Maps. Learn about the differences in features and availability between each mode:

• If you want to change a driving route, click and hold a spot on the route and drag it to a new spot on the map.

• Not all cities have public transit directions in Google Maps. Before you can get transit directions, your local transit agency needs to add their route info to Google Maps.

• If you want directions in an area with ride or taxi services, you can compare ride services with transit and walking directions. Learn how to request a ride .

• Directions to multiple destinations, or waypoints, aren’t available for public transit or flight searches.
• Learn more about how to search for flights .

• Learn how to get directions for motorcycles .

Add multiple destinations

You can get directions to multiple destinations for all modes of transportation except public transit or flight.

• Add a starting point and a destination.

• You can add up to 9 stops.
• Click on a route to get the directions.

Tip : You can search for places along your route.

To change the order of your stops: 

• Find the destination you want to move. 
• Drag the destination.

Preview directions in Street View

• On your computer, under the route you want, click Details.

• Point to a step in the directions. If Street View is available, you get a preview photo.
• To get Street View for other steps in the route, in the bottom-left box, click Previous step or Next step.

Customize your route

• Choose Options .
• Check the box next to "Tolls" or "Highways."
• Get directions.
• After you get your directions, click Leave now .
• To change your travel dates or times, select Depart at or Arrive by .

When you enter a destination in Google Maps, we show you how to get there using different travel modes, like driving, cycling, or walking. 

Sometimes, the transport options we show you are ranked according to a combination of objective factors designed to help you find relevant and useful information. These factors can include duration, distance, price, your mode preference, or the relevance of a mode to your query. Generally, the most important factors are your mode preference, trip durations, and sometimes price.

Where available, we also show you other mobility services like public transport, scooter or bicycle rentals, and vehicle ride services. These mobility services are provided by third parties who have made their transport data publicly available or who have a partner agreement with us. Any partnerships or business relationships we may have with any transportation service providers do not influence the ranking of these services.

Related resources

• Get traffic or search for places along the way
• Plan your commute or trip

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• Route Planning

Build Your Own Travel Time Maps

• On Jun 1, 2021

Use Maptive’s drive time polygon tool to generate travel time maps.

What is a Travel Time Map?

Travel time maps are designed to show you where you can travel in a certain amount of time, whether that be by car, public transit, or another mode of transport. 

For example, let’s say you’re visiting New York City and you want to know how what landmarks you could reach in a certain amount of time. A travel time map uses estimated drive time, based on available routes, the speed limit, and current traffic conditions to draw the area that can be reached in a given amount of time.

What are Travel Time maps used for?

• Business site selection/ location intelligence
• Retail site selection
• Supply chain/logistics optimization
• Vacation & travel planning
• Real estate
• Sales territory optimization
• Network coverage assessment

How to Create a Travel Time Map with Maptive

Maptive uses Google Maps API and a user-friendly interface to make creating travel time maps easy.

• Sign up for your Maptive free trial account .
• Upload your location data directly from a spreadsheet, copy and past it into Maptive, or enter it manually.
• Click “ Create Map ” to instantly plot your data on an interactive map.
• Click the Tools icon in the top right corner of your screen.
• To find the distance between two locations, select the “ Routing / Directions ” tool. Enter your starting location and your destination to see the travel time. You can also add additional stops and determine the time to travel between each one.
• To create an isochrone map, select the “ Distance Radius / Drive Time Polygon ” tool, then under “Type” select “Drive Time Polygon.” Enter your starting location and then your drive time to generate your map.

What Can You Use Travel Time Maps For?

Travel time and isochrone maps have many different uses:

For Consumers

• Determine how long it will take you to reach appointments and meetings.
• See how long it will take you to travel somewhere you’ve never been before.
• Discover restaurants, coffee shops, gas stations, and landmarks that are reachable in a certain amount of time from your current location.

For Businesses

• Outbound sales reps can schedule appointments based on the drive time between clients.
• Assign clients to sales reps based on travel time.
• Draw isochrones around your offices to establish sales territories .
• Schedule employees at different locations based on which stores are within driving distance of them.

Why Choose Maptive?

Maptive is more than just a travel time map generator. Use our mapping software to visualize your data, spot new trends, and optimize your business:

• Customize your map by adjusting the look of your map markers and choosing from 15 different base maps .
• Build sales territories based on zip codes, states, and counties, or use our drawing tool to create custom territories.
• Analyze the density of your data by using heat maps .
• Display demographic data on your map, including population, gender, income, housing education, and more.
• Keep your data secure with the latest encryption protocols.
• Easily share your map by saving it as a picture, exporting your data to a spreadsheet, sending your teammates a link, or embedding it on a website.

Create Travel Time Maps Today

Want to see the benefits of travel time maps for yourself? Start your free trial of Maptive and start mapping today.

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Privacy overview.

Travel Time Map

Travel time is one of the most important criteria people use when choosing a destination. Whether traveling for work or leisure, people want to know what is within their reach, within a certain traveling time.

Travel time maps (also called driving time maps or isochrone maps ) show how far you can go from a location within a certain time.

In other words, Isochrones are a powerful analytic tool that offer exact answers to the question "what is within X travel time of this location?"

What Travel Time Maps Can Do For Your Business

People search for information online before making a trip, moving home, job hunting or even finding a specific store branch, which means travel time maps are becoming more popular in the business world. When you display travel time alongside search results on a map, it's easier for your customers to compare results. They don't have to click away to look up info on third-party maps. That keeps them on your website.

Using isochrones helps your visitors scout out locations and amenities based on the required travel time . Customizable travel time search means you display the results that matter to your customers, which establishes your business as one they can rely on.

With Geoapify isochrone maps , you can refine the route by your preferred mode of transport. Choose from walking , driving , truck , bicycle , or public transit . For example, find hospitals within twenty driving minutes of a location, or beaches within thirty public transit minutes.

With research showing that 85% of family travelers rank being near major attractions or theme parks as being of utmost importance when booking a holiday, providing a travel time map helps them make decisions.

Time travel maps help tourism businesses provide up-to-date and personalized information to their customers. For example, visitors can see which tourist attractions and amenities are in reach of accommodation so they can make the best choice.

Visitors can also check how close accommodations and amenities are to each other, making it easier to plan day trips and make sure they see all the sights they want.

Estate Agents

Estate agents can use isochrones to help customers find their next dream home. Having the right things within the right distance is a must when looking for a new home to buy or rent. The time to reach amenities and public transport is important to house hunters. For example, one study found that 25% of people in London said living near a tube is essential when choosing a new home.

Use isochrones to help clients search for schools within a certain walking distance of a property, or shops within a certain driving distance. Customers can also look for sports facilities, swimming pools, other leisure facilities, public transport hubs and more.

Time travel maps make it easier for people to visualize living in a location . They can get a feel for what they'll be able to do in their new location. Using isochrone maps takes the guesswork out of finding properties to view, and encourages customers to book a viewing appointment for houses and apartments that match their needs.

Businesses of all kinds can use isochrones to show customers the travel time from their location to a specific store location . Use travel time maps to create an up-to-date store finder that helps customers find stores near their home, or look at which stores they’ll be able to reach on their next holiday or business trip.

Businesses can use isochrones to expand their company , too. Use isochrone maps to scout out potential new locations, and get a feel for how reachable those locations will be for your target demographic and staff members.

You can combine isochrones with demographic data to better understand potential new areas. For example, find out if your potential clients live or work nearby and how easy it will be for them to reach you within a decent time frame.

Logistics and Delivery

Businesses use travel time maps to find the best locations for their warehouses and logistic centers . These tools focus on places where the travel times from different customers are minimized, thereby reducing costs and handling your sales better.

For example, the size of the isochrone indicates how easily you can reach a place. Moreover, the overlapping of the isochrones shows well-covered areas , while the holes signify where service is problematic.

Commute Planning

Individuals can use isochrones to plan commuting times for themselves or their families. Optimizing commute times to work or study locations makes for less time spent commuting, and an easier time coordinating with the rest of the family.

Educational institutions and employers can also use isochrones to help students or employees plan their commutes and find the most efficient routes. Research shows that every minute of commute time lowers job satisfaction and increases stress, so anything you can do to help students and employees find the best route will help.

Looking for a new office location? Use isochrones to see how good or bad the public transport connections are , and see which amenities such as shops or healthcare locations are in easy reach.

Classifieds and Directories

Help classified readers narrow their search to find what matters to them. With isochrones, they can search for jobs or items for sale within a specific distance of their home . No more finding the ideal job or item for purchase, only to find it’s in a hard-to-reach location or simply too far away.

Narrowing results by travel distance means more relevant and accurate results, and more satisfied customers.

Travel time maps have a wide range of applications across industries and even for personal use. Show your visitors the information they need, and they're more likely to stay on your website, or making a booking of enquiry.

Wondering how best to use isochrones in your business? Eager to get started? Try isochrones for free in our playground, or get in touch to discuss your specific needs.

Ready to get started?

Learn more about isochrone maps.

Distance Calculator Between Cities for Precise Driving Distances

Efficiently find the distance between cities, including driving distances, estimated travel times, and detailed route maps for any journey in the USA, from cross-country adventures to short drives.

This distance calculator, covering the United States, North America, and worldwide, simplifies your travel planning. Enter your start and end points in the "From" and "To" fields — accepting city names, addresses, or GPS coordinates — and click "Calculate" to get started.

Customize your journey with "Fuel consumption" and "Fuel price" for cost estimates, and use the crosshair icon for map selections. Dive into "Advanced options" to add stops or adjust speeds, tailoring the trip to your pace and ensuring accurate travel time predictions.

Driving Distance Between Two Cities: US Route Examples

• Distance from Dallas to Houston
• Distance from Austin to Houston
• Distance from Seattle to Portland
• Distance from Dallas to San Antonio
• Distance from San Francisco to Sacramento
• Distance from San Francisco to San Diego
• Distance from Dallas to Chicago
• Distance from Houston to New Orleans
• Distance from Denver to Chicago
• Distance from New York to Chicago

Route Planner for Estimating Distance Between Two Points

Family Vacation Planning : Families planning summer vacations can use the distance calculator to plan their route, estimate fuel costs based on their car's fuel consumption, and calculate budget needs, ensuring a cost-effective and enjoyable journey.

Business Travel Optimization : Professionals can plot the most efficient routes for their business trips, incorporating distance calculations to manage time effectively and budget for travel expenses accurately.

Logistics and Freight Management : Long-haul truckers and freight forwarders can utilize the tool to map out routes between cities, estimate mileage, and calculate transportation costs based on company tariffs, optimizing delivery schedules and pricing.

Meeting Halfway : Friends living in different cities can find a central meeting point by calculating the halfway distance between their locations, making it easier to arrange reunions and share new adventures together.

Explore Functions of the City-to-City Distance Calculator

City distances evolve annually with the construction of new roads, highways, and bridges.

Our online Distance Between Cities Calculator complements your preferred GPS navigator by allowing you to map out your route in advance, while your GPS assists during the drive.

The calculator utilizes OSM data and incorporates key Google Maps functionalities, including:

• Viewing distances and routes on a map for a comprehensive journey overview.
• Interactive map features like zoom, drag-and-drop, and full-screen mode.
• Route customization by adjusting markers directly on the map or adding stops via addresses.
• Distance calculations in either kilometers or miles, with unit preferences adjustable in the menu.

Exclusive features of our calculator include:

• The ability to print, save as PDF/PNG, or export routes to GIS and GPS formats such as GPX, KML, and GeoJSON .
• A route scheme offering a sequence of cities and timing for passing intermediate cities, an efficient alternative to detailed turn-by-turn directions for long distances.
• Fuel cost estimation adaptable to various fuel types. Just input your vehicle's fuel efficiency.
• Capability to generate distance matrices, savable in Excel format, for comprehensive planning.

USA, North America, and Worldwide Coverage

This service measures the distance between cities around the world and is available in several languages:

• English ca.drivebestway.com Canada Mileage Calculator
• Spanish www.mejoresrutas.com Traza tu ruta por México
• Portuguese www.melhoresrotas.com Calculadora de distância entre cidades do Brasil
• English au.drivebestway.com Aussie Distance Calculator
• English gb.drivebestway.com UK Road Distance Calculator
• Spanish es.mejoresrutas.com Calcular ruta entre ciudades españolas
• Spanish ar.mejoresrutas.com Calcular distancia entre ciudades argentinas
• Spanish co.mejoresrutas.com Calcular distancia entre ciudades colombianas
• Spanish us.mejoresrutas.com Calcular distancia entre ciudades de EE. UU.
• Spanish cl.mejoresrutas.com Calcular km entre ciudades chilenas
• Spanish pe.mejoresrutas.com Distancia entre dos puntos en Perú
• Spanish ve.mejoresrutas.com Distancia entre dos puntos en Venezuela
• Spanish br.mejoresrutas.com Distancia entre ciudades brasileñas
• Portuguese pt.melhoresrotas.com Calculadora de distância entre cidades em Portugal
• French www.bonnesroutes.com Calculateur de distance France
• French ca.bonnesroutes.com Calculateur de distance Canadien
• German www.besterouten.com Routenplaner Deutschland
• Polish www.najlepszetrasy.com Kalkulator odległości drogowych w Polsce
• Czech www.dobracesta.com Kalkulačka vzdálenosti mezi českými městy
• Italian www.percorsomigliore.com Calcola distanze chilometriche in Italia
• Malay www.pandujalanterbaik.com Pengiraan jarak antara bandar di Malaysia
• Dutch www.besteroutes.com Afstand meten in Nederland
• Turkish www.duzgunyolusec.com Türkiye şehirler arası mesafe hesaplama
• Dutch be.besteroutes.com Afstand berekenen tussen Belgische steden
• German be.besterouten.com Routenplaner Belgien Auto
• French be.bonnesroutes.com Calculateur de distance belge
• French ch.bonnesroutes.com Calculateur de distance Suisse
• German ch.besterouten.com Routenplaner Schweiz
• German at.besterouten.com Routenplaner Österreich

How Driving Distance Is Calculated Between Two Locations

Algorithm for calculating driving distances between cities.

This route calculation tool harnesses the power of shortest path search algorithms within a weighted road graph, employing sophisticated algorithms like Dijkstra, A-Star, and Contraction Hierarchies . Unlike conventional calculators that use distance or travel time as the graph weight, our system optimizes drive time for vehicles, favoring routes on higher-class roads for a smoother journey.

The backbone of this tool is built on OpenStreetMap data, ensuring our road graphs are accurate and up-to-date. We calculate distances between road segments with the haversine formula , using precise GPS coordinates to measure the Great Circle Distance. This formula is pivotal for calculating "air distance" or "straight line distance" between two points, taking into account the curvature of the Earth.

Road distances, however, diverge from straight line distances due to the natural curvature and layout of roads . To address this, roads are represented as segmented lines, and the haversine formula is applied to each segment, allowing for precise calculation of the journey length between any two points.

Recognizing that cities encompass large areas, our tool selects a central point within each city for distance calculations between cities. For personalized route planning, users can specify exact addresses or select points on the map. Additionally, the route's start and end points can be adjusted directly on the map for enhanced customization.

Travel time calculations break down the route into segments, evaluating the maximum permitted speed for each segment to estimate the fastest possible travel time.

It’s important to note that while our route calculation relies on advanced computer modeling for accuracy, no model is perfect. We encourage users to plan with a margin for adjustment to ensure a reliable and efficient journey.

Alternative Methods for Distance Calculation Between Two Addresses

One simple way to measure distance is by using a highway atlas. By tracing a route with your eye and rolling a curvimeter along it, you can gauge the distance. Estimating travel time involves assuming an average speed of 50 miles/hour on major intercity roads. Although this method provides rough estimates, it's straightforward.

In the absence of a curvimeter, a ruler can serve as a substitute. Start by aligning the ruler's zero mark with your route's beginning and follow the road's bends closely. Then, translate the measured length into kilometers or miles using the map's scale, which is typically provided in the atlas.

For those seeking a more streamlined approach, pre-calculated distance tables specifically for the USA are available on websites, atlases, and guidebooks. Particularly useful for journeys between major cities, these tables streamline planning, although they may omit smaller locales.

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Who uses travelmath.

Companies like United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Ryanair use Travelmath to re-route passengers and plan new flight paths.

Celebrities love Travelmath!

"Travelmath is the one app I couldn't live without - it calculates all your journey timings and because I travel a lot, it's essential. Whoever invented Travelmath, I love you! " – Drew Barrymore

"There's a website called Travelmath, it's really good if you're into flight times. "  – Blake Griffin

Dirtiest Public Transit

See the research from our Travelmath study on public transportation hygiene. How does the New York subway rank against Chicago, DC, SF, and Boston?   Read the full study!

Germiest Hotel Rooms

See even more research from our Travelmath study on hotel hygiene. Spoiler alert: Don't turn on the TV...   Read the full study!

   Travel Tools

What is travelmath.

Travelmath is an online trip calculator that helps you find answers quickly. If you're planning a trip, you can measure things like travel distance and travel time . To keep your budget under control, use the travel cost tools.

You can also browse information on flights including the distance and flight time. Or use the section on driving to compare the distance by car, or the length of your road trip.

Type in any location to search for your exact destination .

Quick Calculator

How do i search.

To get started, enter your starting point and destination into the boxes above. If you want an airport , it's best to enter the 3-letter IATA code if you know it. For cities , include the state or country if possible.

You can also enter more general locations like a state or province , country, island , zip code, or even some landmarks by name.

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Travel time map

Smappen is a map that tells you where you can travel to in a given amount of time or by covering a certain distance.

Depending on the mode of transport you pick, smappen looks at lots of criteria (speed limit on each type of road (city, countryside, highway, etc.), and draws the area that you can reach when travelling the specified distance or time.

These travel-time areas are also called isochrones or catchment areas.

Based on travel times

A driving-radius map tool.

Use smappen to get the right answers.

To choose the best location for your business

smappen provides you with population data on your areas, so that you know which is the best location for your business.

To optimize your logistics (delivery, pricing, technicians, etc.)

Save time and money by providing the best-optimized areas for your deliveries or technicians.

To go and visit friends

Just moved to a new city? Friends all over the country? Find where you can get to in a given travel time.

To target your marketing campaigns

Easily extract zip codes from your areas, for the best-targeted campaigns.

To find your next home or job

Want to move, but don’t want to be too far away from your place of work? smappen shows you the ideal geographic area where you should house-hunt, with a variety of home-to-workplace travel times.

Ready to get started with smappen?

The complete guide about travel time maps

Travel time is an essential element that shapes our daily lives, influencing decisions ranging from our commutes to work, to healthcare accessibility, leisure activities, and urban planning. The ability to understand, calculate, and visualize travel time is a game-changer in modern navigation and decision-making.

Behind the scenes of this crucial concept lies technology and data, working together to create what we call “travel time maps.” These maps are not just colorful representations but tools that empower us to make informed choices about where we go, how we get there, and how long it will take.

In this comprehensive guide, we will embark on a journey to explore the significance of travel time and travel time maps in our fast-paced world. We will delve into the technology that underpins their creation and see how data makes travel time mapping possible. Throughout this exploration, we’ll discover the practical applications of travel time maps and discuss strategies to optimize travel time for a more efficient and enjoyable life. So, let’s navigate the world of travel time and its mapping, enhancing the way we experience the world around us.

Understanding travel time

Travel time is more than just a measure of how long it takes to get from point A to point B. It’s a fundamental concept that profoundly affects our daily routines and decisions. In this section, we will unravel the core concept of travel time and its multifaceted impact on our lives.

At its heart, travel time encapsulates the minutes, hours, and sometimes even seconds that stand between us and our destinations. It governs our commutes to work, school runs, and even the time it takes to enjoy a day out with friends. Understanding travel time is the key to unlocking a more efficient and enjoyable life.

As we delve deeper, we will explore the multitude of factors that influence travel time. Weather, with its unpredictable whims, can either expedite or delay our journeys. Traffic congestion in urban jungles can turn a quick trip into a frustrating ordeal, while our choice of transportation mode can be the difference between a leisurely stroll and a hectic rush.

But what ties all these factors together into a coherent and user-friendly concept? The answer lies in the world of “travel time maps.” These visual representations take complex data on weather, traffic, and transportation modes, and present it in a way that’s easy to comprehend. In the next section, we will unravel the technology and data that make the creation of these maps possible.

Creating travel time maps

Travel time maps are the result of meticulous data integration and advanced GIS technology. These maps require access to a wide array of data sources, including real-time traffic information, location data, and comprehensive transportation networks. This data forms the foundation upon which travel time maps are built.

One of the pivotal elements in this process is GIS technology, such as the one offered by Smappen. Smappen, as an innovative geomarketing solution, plays a significant role in creating travel time maps. It leverages GIS technology to process vast datasets and produce visually intuitive maps that help individuals and businesses make informed decisions.

Creating a travel time map with Smappen can provide valuable insights for location-based decision-making. Below is a step-by-step tutorial on how to create a travel time map for free using Smappen:

• Go to  smappen.com/app/
• Open the area creation panel on the top left
• Write your starting address
• Select the time
• Choose the means of transport
• Click on “Compute” button

Your first travel time area is created! For more detailed instructions, you can follow  our tutorials . 

Interpreting travel time maps

Understanding how to read and interpret a travel time map is vital in unlocking the wealth of information it offers to individuals, businesses, and decision-makers alike. These maps are designed to provide valuable insights into travel time, allowing for informed choices. Here, we’ll delve into the key aspects of interpreting travel time maps while incorporating relevant SEO keywords.

Color-Coding and Legends: A fundamental element of any travel time map is the color-coding scheme, where different areas are shaded in various colors to represent varying travel times. The intuitive use of colors serves as a visual guide, with darker hues typically signifying longer travel times and lighter shades indicating shorter journeys. Understanding these color patterns is crucial for quick and accurate interpretation of the map, especially when time is of the essence. Additionally, legends are often provided to clarify the specific time intervals associated with different colors, making it easier to gauge travel durations.

Real-World Examples and Decision-Making: The true power of travel time maps becomes evident when we witness them in action in real-world scenarios. These maps are not just abstract data representations; they play a practical role in guiding decisions. For instance, consider a business owner looking to determine the ideal location for a new store. By consulting a travel time map, they can pinpoint areas with shorter travel times to their target demographic, leading to better strategic choices. Similarly, urban planners utilize travel time maps to identify areas with limited transportation accessibility, paving the way for more efficient infrastructure development. These practical examples showcase the indispensable role travel time maps play in enhancing decision-making processes.

User-Friendly Digital Platforms: In the digital age, travel time maps have become more accessible and user-friendly than ever. Many platforms, such as Smappen, offer intuitive interfaces that make map interpretation a breeze. These digital tools allow users to zoom in, pan, and interact with the map, exploring different regions effortlessly. Whether you’re planning your daily commute or seeking the ideal location for a business expansion, the user-friendly nature of digital travel time maps streamlines the process. With a few clicks, you can gain valuable insights into travel times, empowering you to make more informed decisions in an ever-changing world.

By grasping the principles of color-coding, legends, and practical applications, you’ll be well-prepared to harness the potential of travel time maps in your daily life or business endeavors. Understanding how to interpret these maps effectively opens the door to better planning, improved decision-making, and optimized efficiency.

Applications and importance

Broad Applications Across Sectors: Travel time maps find relevance in a plethora of sectors, serving as a fundamental resource for informed decision-making. In the realm of transportation, they aid in optimizing routes and schedules for public transit systems, reducing commuter travel time and enhancing the overall transit experience. In healthcare, travel time maps guide medical facilities in identifying areas with limited accessibility, ensuring that critical services are within reach for all members of the community. Furthermore, urban planners employ travel time maps to develop efficient infrastructure and to design cities that are more accessible to all. These maps, enriched with data, play a pivotal role in enhancing the quality of life for residents and commuters alike.

Leveraging Travel Time Maps for Decision-Making: Businesses and individuals stand to gain significant advantages by leveraging travel time maps in their decision-making processes. For businesses, the strategic location of a store, warehouse, or distribution center can be a game-changer in terms of customer reach and operational efficiency. Travel time maps provide valuable insights into the ideal location for maximum accessibility. Individual commuters and travelers, too, can benefit from these maps by planning their daily journeys more efficiently, avoiding congestion, and optimizing their schedules.

Optimizing Efficiency and Accessibility: The value of travel time maps lies in their ability to optimize efficiency and accessibility in everyday life. For businesses, this means maximizing the reach of their services while minimizing operational costs. For individuals, it translates to reduced stress, more time for leisure and productivity, and a higher quality of life. With these maps in hand, individuals can make choices that take into account the time it takes to reach their destinations, ultimately improving the balance between their personal and professional lives.

Optimizing travel time with maps

Efficiently managing your travel time is not just about reaching your destination; it’s about transforming your daily journeys into smoother and more productive experiences. In this section, we will share practical strategies and tips for using travel time maps to your advantage, all while incorporating relevant SEO keywords for enhanced visibility.

Practical Strategies for Efficiency:

Plan Ahead: The cornerstone of optimizing your travel time begins with planning. Use travel time maps to foresee potential bottlenecks, traffic congestion, or delays in your route. By being proactive and considering these factors, you can plan your trips at times that minimize disruptions.

Combine Trips: If you have multiple errands or destinations, strategically combine them to minimize travel time. Travel time maps can help you identify areas where you can complete multiple tasks within a single journey, optimizing your schedule and reducing the overall time spent traveling.

Google vs. Apple Maps: Comparisons and tricks you need to try

A s a kid, on vacations I remember looking into the front seat to see my mom with a large map and print-out directions. I loved being able to pretend to use the map myself, looking at the small freeways or streets and imagining driving there.

Once I got older and learned how to drive, there wasn’t a need for a physical hand-held map. It was hard not to pick a phone app over a physical map for directions when everything was given step by step in the moment of driving.

While there are a multitude of map apps, two of the most popular are Google and Apple. These apps regularly update to help users get to where they need to go. If choosing to follow the updates and features, you might find there are fun tricks to up the usability and decrease travel confusion.

The Points Guy , a website created by travelers for travelers, compiled a list of recent Apple Maps updates.

Major city navigation

Apple’s map enhancements make navigating major cities like Paris, Houston, Dallas and New York City easier. With features such as detailed 3D landmarks, road markings and public transit routes, getting around is easier whether you’re walking or driving.

Currently available in 24 cities, this enhanced experience offers a “windshield view” when driving, making exits and on-ramps easier to navigate.

Additionally, Apple provides over 2,000 curated city guides from publishers like AllTrails and Lonely Planet, allowing you to explore local favorites. You can even create your own guides to share with visiting family and friends, highlighting the best of your hometown.

Offline maps

Apple Maps’ new offline maps feature is a game-changer for travelers, especially those venturing into areas with poor internet connectivity. Whether you’re camping in remote wilderness or avoiding data charges abroad, this feature ensures access to driving, walking, transit and cycling directions even with spotty internet.

To use offline maps, download the map of your destination while connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data. Simply search in Apple Maps and select the option to download the offline map. You can customize the map’s size and storage space.

Apple Maps may prompt you to download an offline map based on upcoming trips or service availability predictions.

Offline maps include turn-by-turn navigation, detailed trail maps for parks, Apple Watch sync for walking directions, arrival estimates, public transit schedules and nearby points of interest. While offline, information remains accurate at the time of download. To update, connect to Wi-Fi or cellular data.

Try it out by downloading a map for your local area or next travel destination.

Real-time electric vehicle charging availability

With the increasing availability of electric vehicles in dealerships and rental services, having precise information about EV charging stations is crucial.

Apple Maps now offers real-time updates on EV charging station availability, allowing users to filter by charging network, plug type, operating hours and other criteria. Users can also set their preferred charging network for convenience.

This feature proves invaluable, particularly for electric vehicle drivers navigating unfamiliar areas, providing reassurance and preventing last-minute charging crises.

Trail information

In iOS 17, trail information is now more comprehensive than ever before. Through Apple Maps, users can explore thousands of trails located in local, state and national parks across the United States. When you come across a hiking trail or campground of interest, you’ll find details such as trail length, photos, parking availability and the park’s information center contact number.

For Apple Watch users, watchOS 10 updates introduce user-friendly topographic maps featuring contour lines, hill shading, elevation markers and points of interest. These enhancements facilitate outdoor adventures and seamlessly integrate with offline maps on your iPhone when downloaded in advance and kept accessible during your visit.

Google Maps

On the other hand, The Washington Post shares three tips to get the most from Google Maps.

Download maps for areas with unreliable phone service

Similar to Apple Maps, if you’re traveling outside the United States and concerned about phone data charges, or if you frequently visit areas with unreliable mobile phone service, consider downloading a map.

A downloaded map functions perfectly even without cell reception.

To download a portion of a map in Google Maps:

• Choose the area you wish to save.
• Click on your profile picture or initials located in the upper-right corner of the screen.
• Select “Offline maps” and then “Select your own map.” Adjust the zoom until you’ve highlighted the desired area for saving.
• Tap on “Download.” Your selected map section is now accessible even without an internet connection.

Keep track of your favorite spots using ‘lists’

Bookmark spots you like to go to or need for an emergency, like a shop, restaurant, parking or hospitals.

To bookmark a restaurant on Google Maps:

• Search for the restaurant by name. Once its details appear, check the options located to the right of “Directions.”
• Select the “Save” option and click on “New list” at the top of the subsequent screen. Name it something like “Best Burgers.”
• Tap “Create” in the upper-right corner.
• You have the option to keep your list private or select “Shared” and invite friends and family to contribute their favorite burger spots.
• To access your lists and individual places within a list, navigate to the main screen of Google Maps and tap “Saved” on the bottom row of the app.

After saving places in a list, you can tap on them to “Add a note about this place.”

In addition to lists, Google Maps offers options to save places under similar categories like “Want to go” or “Starred places.” This variety might seem overwhelming, so you can choose to use just one or utilize all three features differently.

Google has stated that it is continuously enhancing the Google Maps experience to facilitate the discovery of helpful information.

Use visual pointers for walking directions

Imagine you’re just a half-mile away from a restaurant listed in your “Best Burgers” compilation, but you’re uncertain about the walking route.

You have the option to click “Directions” in Google Maps for step-by-step instructions — or you can enhance those instructions significantly.

Simply tap “live” at the bottom right of the Google Maps screen and point your phone towards your surroundings. Note: Your phone might prompt you for permission to activate the camera.

Google overlays virtual arrows onto your screen, guiding you to your next left turn. It’s reminiscent of the Pokémon Go game, but tailored for pedestrian directions.

Exercise caution when using this feature. It’s important not to endanger yourself or others by constantly holding your phone in front of your face.

Apple Maps vs. Google Maps, which is better?

While the app you use might depend on your phone brand, the debate about which app is better is ongoing. According to Tom’s Guide , the answer might be Google Maps. However, apps are updating constantly so performance levels may vary.

Winners in selected categories:

• Availability on devices: Google Maps, available on almost every device and brand.
• Interface: Apple Maps, everything is in one place.
• Map design: Apple Maps, less distraction.
• Navigation: Google Maps, for accuracy and prioritizing safety and fuel consumption.
• Traffic data: Google Maps, adjusting travel time and “Commute” feature.
• Public transportation: Google Maps, notes where crowds are.
• Discovery: Google Maps as Google itself has more information available.
• Hands-free control: Tie, both work great.
• Street view: Google Maps, more locations documented for now.
• Privacy: Apple Maps, for ensuring anonymity.

Google Maps wins seven to four.

On a personal note, my brother, a firefighter and EMT in both Virginia and Utah, says his teams use Google Maps for speed.

Are there other map apps?

There are many map apps available that can be downloaded on phones, no matter the brand.

According to data research published in Statista, Google Maps is the most downloaded map and navigation app in the U.S. with over 21 million downloads, not including the number of apps pre-installed on Android smartphones.

Waze , a community-based traffic and navigation app, was found to be downloaded 9.89 million times, coming in second, the research found. Waze is owned by Google.

Citymapper , a public transit app, was the third most downloaded app with almost 900,000 downloads, per the data research .

No matter which app you choose to use, remember to stay updated on features to get the most out of your traveling experience.

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Your Eurail travel map

Start planning your Eurail adventure here. You can see the average train travel times between all the big European cities in 33 countries on the train map below. 

Train routes through 33 countries

The map below shows the bigger cities in Europe, to which cities they are connected and how long it takes to travel between them. It's an interactive map, so start clicking around and planning your trip!

Click on the train icons to see the cities of each country, and click on the routes (the lines in between 2 train icons) to see travel times.  The green lines represent trains; the blue lines are ferries.

Please note that routes may change throughout the year. This map doesn’t show any (temporary) disruptions on the rail network; find more information on disruptions here . 

Don't know where to start? Use our Trip Planner to find the best Eurail Pass for you!

Traveling with a eurail pass.

With a Eurail Pass you can travel in all countries on the Europe rail map above, now including Great Britain. Please note that most high-speed trains and all night trains need an advance reservation . These are not included in your Eurail Pass. We can help you book your seat reservations for 95% of the trains in Europe.

Travel times for 10 most popular routes

Check out the travel times between Europe's most popular cities. If you'd like to know more about a specific route, just visit our Popular Routes section .

Feel free to also play around with the Europe travel map above to see where else you could go with your Eurail Pass!

European itineraries

The Eurail railway map is a great resource for planning the perfect itinerary. Check out some examples of spectacular  European itineraries  you can experience with a Eurail Pass.

Follow one or more of our itineraries, or use parts of them to create your own. Planning your trip is half the fun, and with these itineraries, you get to see the very best of Europe!

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• Nation & World

Google unveils updates to make trip planning easier

Google Maps is launching new updates that are intended to make finding travel inspiration and local recommendations in your destination easier. Users will start seeing these lists of suggestions popping up in Google Maps in more than 40 cities across the U.S. and Canada this week. These updates will also be rolled out globally on Android and iOS mobile platforms later this month.

With this trio of updates, users can discover curated lists of local recommendations from other users and esteemed websites, customize their own lists and access key insights, making vacation planning a breeze and ensuring a seamless on-the-go experience. To access the new features, simply search for a city in Google Maps and swipe up to see curated lists of places from people who know the city inside and out. You’ll also see lists from such reputable sources as Lonely Planet, The New York Times and OpenTable.

And, when away from home, the question of where to eat is always top of mind. Now, whether you’re a traveler or just want to find a trendy spot in town, you can use new restaurant lists created by Google Maps. These lists will spotlight the eateries people are showing interest in or rating highly on Maps at the time. Google has sorted restaurants into three separate lists based on various criteria, creating indexes for trending, top-rated, and hidden gem locations.

The Trending list is updated weekly to spotlight places that experienced a recent spike in popularity on Maps, making it ideal for discovering the latest hot spots.

The Top list showcases the places that the Maps community has consistently shown love for. Use this list to find a neighborhood’s longstanding favorites.

The Gems list is for places that are considered an area’s best-kept secrets, highlighting great restaurants that still fly under the radar.

Creating Maps lists allows you to organize places you’d like to visit and places you’ve already been that you might wish to revisit. With the new lists format, users will also be able to more easily arrange their selections for easy reference, as they can now choose the order in which places appear. Simply move them up or down in whatever order you prefer to have them displayed. Users can also link in content from their social media streams, such as their own reviews of a certain venue.

Similarly, to give users a good sense of each place at a glance, Google’s AI pulls key insights to display from the Maps community. When you search a spot, you’ll see select photos and reviews that encapsulate what patrons love about it. The AI function can even help you identify the name of a particular dish and display helpful information based on a restaurant’s menu.

New design updates are also set to give Google Maps a fresh look, including a simplified home screen and new pin colors that make places on the map easier to find.

Trip-planning AI

Google has also just announced an update that’s coming to its Search Generative Experience (SGE), which will enable users to create travel itineraries and compile trip ideas using AI. This means that Google will be taking on other companies that are already applying the generative AI’s capabilities to help travelers plan their trips, such as Mindtrip and Layla.

To come up with its travel recommendations, Google’s AI engine relies upon information from sites across the internet, as well as photos, reviews and other specifics users have submitted about any given place. Conversationally, users can ask the AI something like “plan me a five-day trip to New York City that focuses on entertainment” and receive a sample itinerary that includes local restaurants, attractions and points of interest. Once you’ve constructed your ideal itinerary, you can export it to Gmail, or Google Docs or Maps.

This new capability is currently available only in the U.S. (in English) to those who are signed up for Google’s Search Labs program, which invites users to experiment with early-phase Google Search functions. The company has not stated if or when this function will become more widely available. According to TechCrunch, Google is not only testing out new realms for using generative AI, it’s also gathering data about consumers’ travel purchasing intent, which would support its wider ad business.

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The Most Beautiful Stations on the Moscow Metro

You might have heard that there are some beautiful metro stations in Moscow. Soviet decorations, chandeliers, mosaic painting and statues are common in many of the stations. The good news is that the Moscow Metro does not cost a lot of money and many of the most beautiful stations on the Moscow metro are on the same line, so you can almost get on and off at each station to visit these. Over the New Year holidays, I had a free afternoon and decided to visit some of these stations. Check out what I found below…..

The main stations that you will want to visit are on the Number 5 line, also known as the Circle Line. An advantage of this line is that you can get to it very easily and quickly no matter where you are in Moscow. The announcements on the metro are in Russian as well as English so you don’t need to worry if your Russian language skills are not good.

If, like me, you arrive in Moscow via train from Kyiv , then you will arrive at a metro station which many Muscovites believe to be the most beautiful of them all…..

Kievskaya metro station was opened in 1954 and features white marble walls which curve upwards and have with large mosaics surrounded by a gold trim in a very classical style. The mosaics depict life in Ukraine and was designed by a Ukrainian who wanted to display Ukraine’s influence and contribution to Soviet Russia.

Kievskaya, one of the most beautiful stations on the Moscow metro

Soviet era artwork between the arches

Mosaic with golden trim

People carrying flags is a common theme

Going into battle

Belorusskaya

If you look at a map of the metro , you will want to go in a clockwise direction on the circle line. So you will want to get on the train going in the Barrikadnaya direction and not Park Kultury. Stay on this line until you reach the 2nd station, Belorusskaya. This station was built in 1952 and like Kievskaya also features white marble pylons and a plaster ceiling.

The ceiling features 12 mosaics in an octagonal shape depicting Belarusian life, while the tiling on the floor is said to resemble a Belarusian quilt. One of the passageway exits of the station has a statue called ‘Belarusian Partisans’ of three men wearing long coats, holding guns and carrying a flag.”

Belorusskaya metro platform

Soviet artwork on the roof

The hammer and sickle features prominently in the metro artwork

Three men carrying guns, holding the flag…

Mayakovskaya

To get to the next station, we need to change onto the green line (line 2) and go just one stop to the station of Mayakovskaya. This station has an art deco theme and, for some, resembles an elaborate ballroom. The columns are faced with stainless steel and pink rhodonite while the marble walls and ceiling have 34 mosaics with the theme “24-hour Soviet Sky. Apparently, Stalin resided here during the 2nd World War as the station was used as a command post for Moscow’s anti-aircraft regiment.

Mayakovskaya metro

24-Hour Soviet Sky mosaic

Bomber planes

It looks like planes flying over Red Square

Novoslobodskaya

It’s time to get back on the metro and return to Belorusskaya. At Belorusskaya, change to the circle line again and continue clockwise to the next station, Novoslobodskaya. With its 32 stained glass panels, this station reminds me of a church. The panels were designed by Latvian artists and are surrounded by a brass border.

Novoslobodskaya metro

The platform of Novoslobodskaya metro

Stained glass artwork

The golden trim around artwork is also very common

Prospekt Mira

Back on the metro and again just one stop until our next station, Prospekt Mira. This station was originally called Botanichesky Sad after the nearby Botanical Gardens of the Moscow State University. The pylons are covered in white marble and decorated with floral bas-relief friezes. The ceiling is decorated with casts and several cylindrical chandeliers.

Prospekt Mira metro station

Notice the floral decoration

Komsomolskaya

On the metro once more and once more we are going just one stop to the next station – Komsomolskaya. This station is famous for its its yellow ceiling. The chandeliers in this station are huge. The photos below do not do this station justice.  For me, this station resembles a presidential palace.  You hace to see it for yourself to truly appreciate it.

Because of it’s location, this is one of the busiest stations in the Moscow metro as it serves three of the main train stations in the city – Leningradsky, Yaroslavsky, and Kazansky so be prepared for a lot of people.

Komsomolskaya metro

The yellow ceiling seems to go on forever

Yellow ceiling and artwork

One of the ceiling mosaics

Elektrozavodskaya

When you are ready to leave Komsomolskaya metro station behind, then get back on the circle line and go one stop to Kurskaya and change to the blue line (line 3) and go to two stops to the Elektrozavodskaya station. This station gets it’s name from a nearby electric light bulb factory and has a somewhat industrial but also futuristic style, with 6 rows of circular lamps (there are 318 lamps in total). I think this is one of the most beautiful stations on the Moscow metro for how unique it is. The station was opened in 1944 after a delay because of the 2nd World War and features 12 marble bas-reliefs of the struggle on the home front during the war.

The Komsomolskaya metro station

The struggles of war at home

Fixing machinery

Hard at work

Making weapons

Building a tank

Even the station sign is elaborate

Ploschad Revolyutsii

Back on the metro line 3 (but in the other direction), getting off at the 3rd stop – Ploschad Revolyutsii (Revolution Square). This is located underneath the square in Moscow of the same name and is a short walk from Red Square in the city centre. It is the perfect place to end a visit around Moscow’s metro. The station features red and yellow marble arches with a total of 76 sculptures in between each arch. The sculptures are supposed to represent the people of the Soviet Union and include soldiers, farmers, industrial workers, children etc… I noticed a lot of people touching the golden chicken in the photo below as well as the show of the woman. I am assuming that this is for good luck.

Industrial worker

Touch the chicken for good luck

Sculpture of the people of the Soviet Union

Woman reading a book – touch the shoe for good luck

In education

Parent and child

These are some of what I think are the most beautiful stations on the Moscow metro. Which ones are your favourite? Would you add any to this list?

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19 comments.

Kievskaya definitely caught me off guard. Didn’t know Moscow metro stations were THIS extravagant! Mayakovskaya is gorgeous too with the marble walls and mosaics. I might just need to book a flight over to admire all of these!

Do it! Kievskaya was my first introduction to the Moscow metro as I got an overnight train from Kyiv.

You know, in the States, all we ever hear is bad stuff about Russia. It’s nice to see other (and lovely!) dimensions of such a controversial place.

It’s the same in the UK which is why I prefer going to see somewhere and making up my own mind. It’s all ‘politics and bullshit’ as I say

I went to Moscow about 13years for Christmas and went to train stations, so I can see these amazing mosaics and chandeliers. I agree with you that are beautiful Stations for sure and I could of wandered around for days. I think Kievskaya is definitely my favourite out of them all and I even have some similar pictures as you.

I imagine Moscow would have been a little different 13 years ago but these stations have probably always looked beautiful

Food and Footprints

You chose some great stations for this write up! Beautiful details in these stations and would love to visit them sometime. Particularly like the Komsomolskaya station with that yellow ceiling!

Thank you very much. Komsomolskaya seems to be a lot of peoples favourite stations too

Sumit Surai

Wow! Without the text I would have thought them to be some museum or gallery.

I know exactly what you mean!

Rosie Fluskey

Wow, it is just stunning! How does anyone get to work with so much to look at. I’m surprised at the very bourgeois-looking Komsomolskaya station. I would have thought it was all too Tzarist looking, but then I haven’t been to Russia yet lol. This has just made me want to go more!

Wow, that’s a lot of artwork. I wonder how old some of these pieces are?

Generally most of the stations are from 1940-1960 approximately. The later stations are more functional than style.

My mother-in-law was in Moscow fifty years ago and still raves about the metro stations. So far, I could not imagine much. But now! The pictures are great and I think it’s almost a pity that this splendor is underground. But for every user of the Metro can enjoy a free trip to the world of art. Susanne

True. It is like having a free trip to an art museum/gallery. I hope that you can one day visit Moscow and see for yourself.

Oh wow, I would never have known that these were metro stations. The ceilings remind me of how you need to look up sometimes, even in the commuter rush!

It is true about life in general, we just go from A to B looking directly in front of us instead of around us

Wow, I would have never guessed that these were stations. The decor is so pretty and not one I’m used to seeing at metro stations. Love the ceiling at The Komsomolskaya metro station.

They certainly don’t look like metro stations. The ceiling there is one of my favourites too!

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• Apps & Updates

Google Maps

Google flights, google maps will suggest transit, walking alternatives next to driving routes.

Ahead of Earth Day, Google Maps is adding a handful of features to make traveling more sustainable, like offering transit and walking alternatives instead of driving.

Google Maps will suggest public transit and walking alternatives next to driving routes “if travel times are comparable and practical.” This will appear as an “Also consider” card at the bottom of the page with a brief preview, including if it’s faster. 

This will be available in the coming weeks in over fifteen cities around the world, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, London, Montreal, Paris, Rome and Sydney.

If you own an electric vehicle, Google Maps will soon show AI-powered summaries that “describe a charger’s specific location based on helpful information from user reviews.” This will be available in the coming months on the arrival card. To make the information more accurate, leaving a charger review will “prompt you for additional details,” like plug type and wait times.  

For example, when you’re headed to a charging station you may see a detailed description, like “Enter the underground parking lot and follow the signs toward the exit. Just before exiting, turn right.”

On Android Automotive (Cars with Google built-in), the Google Maps apps will highlight nearby chargers if you’re running low. Available information includes “real-time port availability and charging speed.” 

This update will roll out globally, starting with vehicles with Google built-in the coming months.

Similarly, multi-stop trips will soon show the best charging location over the coming months, while google.com/travel now has an EV filter when sorting through hotels to find onsite charging.

Last year, Google started surfacing train routes in Search when you look for flights. Over the coming months, these suggestions will be available in Google Flights. The company is also making its Travel Impact Model for predicting per-passenger flight emissions, which is already in use by Google Flights, available as an online calculator , Google Sheets add-on , and developer API .

In 2022 , Google Search gained the ability to see schedules and train ticket prices. This is now available in 38 countries, and expanding to include long-distance bus routes in 15 countries.

• Train information: Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States.
• Bus information: Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States.

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Advertisement

See Maps of Where Eclipse Seekers Flocked and the Traffic That Followed

Movement data shows the destinations with the greatest influx of people.

By Charlie Smart

PATH OF TOTALITY

St. Johnsbury

Adirondack Park

Ste. Genevieve

Ozarks region

Greater increase

in activity

Texas Hill Country

Note: The map shows change in movement activity on Monday, compared with an average of the movement activity on the previous four Mondays.

Source: Mapbox (movement data)

Monday’s solar eclipse drew huge crowds to the path of totality, temporarily ballooning the populations of small towns and rural areas across the country. The map above shows an estimate of where human activity increased the most on Monday, compared with that on an average Monday, according to data from Mapbox, an online mapping company.

Some towns in the path of totality expected their populations to double, and the data — drawn from mobile-device activity — showed such increases in many places.

Among the towns with more than 100 percent increases in activity were St. Johnsbury, Vt.; Lancaster, N.H.; and Ste. Geneviève, Mo. State parks like the Adirondack Park in New York and many areas in the Ozarks region of Arkansas and Missouri were also popular destinations. The data includes activity for the entire day and also shows a pattern of movement away from the path of totality, as seen in the darker areas on the edges of the path in the map above.

Around midafternoon Monday came the main event: the moment of totality, when the moon moved fully in front of the sun, turning daylight to darkness. That climax lasted only a few minutes, and then eclipse watchers started their trips home or to hotels.

Source: TomTom

Traffic was stopped or delayed along some highways more than eight hours later, according to data from TomTom, a mapping and navigation company. Officials in many parts of the country had warned of snarled traffic, and roads in the Northeast — from New York to Maine — had the greatest concentration of hourslong delays.

Interstate 87 in New York had a line of traffic more than 55 miles long around 6 p.m., and cars were still backed up for miles at 11 p.m. on Interstate 93 in New Hampshire, more than seven hours after the eclipse, according to TomTom.

On a normal weekday afternoon, the 210-mile drive from Burlington, Vt., to Somerville, Mass., takes about three and a half hours. On Monday, the same trip took Liam Sullivan, 26, of Somerville, more than nine hours after watching the eclipse.

“The worst part was that in the first four hours we only went about 40 miles,” Mr. Sullivan said. “A solid marathoner is beating our pace there. It was completely hopeless congestion the entire time.”

Eclipse watchers in Burlington, Vt., at Lake Champlain.

Cassandra Klos for The New York Times

Interstate 93 in New Hampshire many hours after the eclipse.

Nick Perry/Associated Press

While drivers in the Northeast faced the worst of the delays, there were also long traffic jams outside of Indianapolis, St. Louis and Columbus, Ohio.

Traffic delays at 9 p.m. Eastern time

Indianapolis

“It was definitely the worst traffic I’ve ever seen in my life,” said Richard Chen, who spent nine hours driving from Newport, Vt. to his home in Brooklyn, N.Y., after the eclipse.

Despite the traffic, Mr. Chen said he didn’t see any road rage. “I think people were just kind of thrilled to witness the eclipse, and the traffic and road tripping was just part of the experience,” he said.

Was the drive worth it? For Mr. Chen, there was no question. “Definitely,” he said, noting that the next major U.S. eclipse will take place in 2045.

Mr. Sullivan wasn’t so sure. He said that the eclipse was stunning and that he was grateful to witness it but added: “If you told me yesterday how long it would take, I would have gone back to bed.”

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The Moscow Metro Museum of Art: 10 Must-See Stations

There are few times one can claim having been on the subway all afternoon and loving it, but the Moscow Metro provides just that opportunity.  While many cities boast famous public transport systems—New York’s subway, London’s underground, San Salvador’s chicken buses—few warrant hours of exploration.  Moscow is different: Take one ride on the Metro, and you’ll find out that this network of railways can be so much more than point A to B drudgery.

The Metro began operating in 1935 with just thirteen stations, covering less than seven miles, but it has since grown into the world’s third busiest transit system ( Tokyo is first ), spanning about 200 miles and offering over 180 stops along the way.  The construction of the Metro began under Joseph Stalin’s command, and being one of the USSR’s most ambitious building projects, the iron-fisted leader instructed designers to create a place full of svet (radiance) and svetloe budushchee (a radiant future), a palace for the people and a tribute to the Mother nation.

Consequently, the Metro is among the most memorable attractions in Moscow.  The stations provide a unique collection of public art, comparable to anything the city’s galleries have to offer and providing a sense of the Soviet era, which is absent from the State National History Museum.  Even better, touring the Metro delivers palpable, experiential moments, which many of us don’t get standing in front of painting or a case of coins.

Though tours are available , discovering the Moscow Metro on your own provides a much more comprehensive, truer experience, something much less sterile than following a guide.  What better place is there to see the “real” Moscow than on mass transit: A few hours will expose you to characters and caricatures you’ll be hard-pressed to find dining near the Bolshoi Theater.  You become part of the attraction, hear it in the screech of the train, feel it as hurried commuters brush by: The Metro sucks you beneath the city and churns you into the mix.

With the recommendations of our born-and-bred Muscovite students, my wife Emma and I have just taken a self-guided tour of what some locals consider the top ten stations of the Moscow Metro. What most satisfied me about our Metro tour was the sense of adventure .  I loved following our route on the maps of the wagon walls as we circled the city, plotting out the course to the subsequent stops; having the weird sensation of being underground for nearly four hours; and discovering the next cavern of treasures, playing Indiana Jones for the afternoon, piecing together fragments of Russia’s mysterious history.  It’s the ultimate interactive museum.

Top Ten Stations (In order of appearance)

Kievskaya station.

Kievskaya Station went public in March of 1937, the rails between it and Park Kultury Station being the first to cross the Moscow River.  Kievskaya is full of mosaics depicting aristocratic scenes of Russian life, with great cameo appearances by Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin.  Each work has a Cyrillic title/explanation etched in the marble beneath it; however, if your Russian is rusty, you can just appreciate seeing familiar revolutionary dates like 1905 ( the Russian Revolution ) and 1917 ( the October Revolution ).

Mayakovskaya Station

Mayakovskaya Station ranks in my top three most notable Metro stations. Mayakovskaya just feels right, done Art Deco but no sense of gaudiness or pretention.  The arches are adorned with rounded chrome piping and create feeling of being in a jukebox, but the roof’s expansive mosaics of the sky are the real showstopper.  Subjects cleverly range from looking up at a high jumper, workers atop a building, spires of Orthodox cathedrals, to nimble aircraft humming by, a fleet of prop planes spelling out CCCP in the bluest of skies.

Novoslobodskaya Station

Novoslobodskaya is the Metro’s unique stained glass station.  Each column has its own distinctive panels of colorful glass, most of them with a floral theme, some of them capturing the odd sailor, musician, artist, gardener, or stenographer in action.  The glass is framed in Art Deco metalwork, and there is the lovely aspect of discovering panels in the less frequented haunches of the hall (on the trackside, between the incoming staircases).  Novosblod is, I’ve been told, the favorite amongst out-of-town visitors.

Komsomolskaya Station

Komsomolskaya Station is one of palatial grandeur.  It seems both magnificent and obligatory, like the presidential palace of a colonial city.  The yellow ceiling has leafy, white concrete garland and a series of golden military mosaics accenting the tile mosaics of glorified Russian life.  Switching lines here, the hallway has an Alice-in-Wonderland feel, impossibly long with decorative tile walls, culminating in a very old station left in a remarkable state of disrepair, offering a really tangible glimpse behind the palace walls.

Dostoevskaya Station

Dostoevskaya is a tribute to the late, great hero of Russian literature .  The station at first glance seems bare and unimpressive, a stark marble platform without a whiff of reassembled chips of tile.  However, two columns have eerie stone inlay collages of scenes from Dostoevsky’s work, including The Idiot , The Brothers Karamazov , and Crime and Punishment.   Then, standing at the center of the platform, the marble creates a kaleidoscope of reflections.  At the entrance, there is a large, inlay portrait of the author.

Chkalovskaya Station

Chkalovskaya does space Art Deco style (yet again).  Chrome borders all.  Passageways with curvy overhangs create the illusion of walking through the belly of a chic, new-age spacecraft.  There are two (kos)mosaics, one at each end, with planetary subjects.  Transferring here brings you above ground, where some rather elaborate metalwork is on display.  By name similarity only, I’d expected Komsolskaya Station to deliver some kosmonaut décor; instead, it was Chkalovskaya that took us up to the space station.

Elektrozavodskaya Station

Elektrozavodskaya is full of marble reliefs of workers, men and women, laboring through the different stages of industry.  The superhuman figures are round with muscles, Hollywood fit, and seemingly undeterred by each Herculean task they respectively perform.  The station is chocked with brass, from hammer and sickle light fixtures to beautiful, angular framework up the innards of the columns.  The station’s art pieces are less clever or extravagant than others, but identifying the different stages of industry is entertaining.

Baumanskaya Statio

Baumanskaya Station is the only stop that wasn’t suggested by the students.  Pulling in, the network of statues was just too enticing: Out of half-circle depressions in the platform’s columns, the USSR’s proud and powerful labor force again flaunts its success.  Pilots, blacksmiths, politicians, and artists have all congregated, posing amongst more Art Deco framing.  At the far end, a massive Soviet flag dons the face of Lenin and banners for ’05, ’17, and ‘45.  Standing in front of the flag, you can play with the echoing roof.

Ploshchad Revolutsii Station

Novokuznetskaya Station

Novokuznetskaya Station finishes off this tour, more or less, where it started: beautiful mosaics.  This station recalls the skyward-facing pieces from Mayakovskaya (Station #2), only with a little larger pictures in a more cramped, very trafficked area.  Due to a line of street lamps in the center of the platform, it has the atmosphere of a bustling market.  The more inventive sky scenes include a man on a ladder, women picking fruit, and a tank-dozer being craned in.  The station’s also has a handsome black-and-white stone mural.

Here is a map and a brief description of our route:

Start at (1)Kievskaya on the “ring line” (look for the squares at the bottom of the platform signs to help you navigate—the ring line is #5, brown line) and go north to Belorusskaya, make a quick switch to the Dark Green/#2 line, and go south one stop to (2)Mayakovskaya.  Backtrack to the ring line—Brown/#5—and continue north, getting off at (3)Novosblodskaya and (4)Komsolskaya.  At Komsolskaya Station, transfer to the Red/#1 line, go south for two stops to Chistye Prudy, and get on the Light Green/#10 line going north.  Take a look at (5)Dostoevskaya Station on the northern segment of Light Green/#10 line then change directions and head south to (6)Chkalovskaya, which offers a transfer to the Dark Blue/#3 line, going west, away from the city center.  Have a look (7)Elektroskaya Station before backtracking into the center of Moscow, stopping off at (8)Baumskaya, getting off the Dark Blue/#3 line at (9)Ploschad Revolyutsii.  Change to the Dark Green/#2 line and go south one stop to see (10)Novokuznetskaya Station.

Check out our new Moscow Indie Travel Guide , book a flight to Moscow and read 10 Bars with Views Worth Blowing the Budget For

Jonathon Engels, formerly a patron saint of misadventure, has been stumbling his way across cultural borders since 2005 and is currently volunteering in the mountains outside of Antigua, Guatemala.  For more of his work, visit his website and blog .

Photo credits:   SergeyRod , all others courtesy of the author and may not be used without permission

Claudia Looi

Touring the Top 10 Moscow Metro Stations

By Claudia Looi 2 Comments

Komsomolskaya metro station looks like a museum. It has vaulted ceilings and baroque decor.

Hidden underground, in the heart of Moscow, are historical and architectural treasures of Russia. These are Soviet-era creations – the metro stations of Moscow.

Our guide Maria introduced these elaborate metro stations as “the palaces for the people.” Built between 1937 and 1955, each station holds its own history and stories. Stalin had the idea of building beautiful underground spaces that the masses could enjoy. They would look like museums, art centers, concert halls, palaces and churches. Each would have a different theme. None would be alike.

The two-hour private tour was with a former Intourist tour guide named Maria. Maria lived in Moscow all her life and through the communist era of 60s to 90s. She has been a tour guide for more than 30 years. Being in her 60s, she moved rather quickly for her age. We traveled and crammed with Maria and other Muscovites on the metro to visit 10 different metro stations.

Arrow showing the direction of metro line 1 and 2

Moscow subways are very clean

To Maria, every street, metro and building told a story. I couldn’t keep up with her stories. I don’t remember most of what she said because I was just thrilled being in Moscow.   Added to that, she spilled out so many Russian words and names, which to one who can’t read Cyrillic, sounded so foreign and could be easily forgotten.

The metro tour was the first part of our all day tour of Moscow with Maria. Here are the stations we visited:

1. Komsomolskaya Metro Station  is the most beautiful of them all. Painted yellow and decorated with chandeliers, gold leaves and semi precious stones, the station looks like a stately museum. And possibly decorated like a palace. I saw Komsomolskaya first, before the rest of the stations upon arrival in Moscow by train from St. Petersburg.

2. Revolution Square Metro Station (Ploshchad Revolyutsii) has marble arches and 72 bronze sculptures designed by Alexey Dushkin. The marble arches are flanked by the bronze sculptures. If you look closely you will see passersby touching the bronze dog's nose. Legend has it that good luck comes to those who touch the dog's nose.

Touch the dog's nose for good luck. At the Revolution Square station

Revolution Square Metro Station

3. Arbatskaya Metro Station served as a shelter during the Soviet-era. It is one of the largest and the deepest metro stations in Moscow.

Arbatskaya Metro Station

4. Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station was built in 1935 and named after the Russian State Library. It is located near the library and has a big mosaic portrait of Lenin and yellow ceramic tiles on the track walls.

Lenin's portrait at the Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station

5. Kievskaya Metro Station was one of the first to be completed in Moscow. Named after the capital city of Ukraine by Kiev-born, Nikita Khruschev, Stalin's successor.

Kievskaya Metro Station

6. Novoslobodskaya Metro Station  was built in 1952. It has 32 stained glass murals with brass borders.

Novoslobodskaya metro station

7. Kurskaya Metro Station was one of the first few to be built in Moscow in 1938. It has ceiling panels and artwork showing Soviet leadership, Soviet lifestyle and political power. It has a dome with patriotic slogans decorated with red stars representing the Soviet's World War II Hall of Fame. Kurskaya Metro Station is a must-visit station in Moscow.

Ceiling panel and artworks at Kurskaya Metro Station

8. Mayakovskaya Metro Station built in 1938. It was named after Russian poet Vladmir Mayakovsky. This is one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world with 34 mosaics painted by Alexander Deyneka.

Mayakovskaya station

One of the over 30 ceiling mosaics in Mayakovskaya metro station

9. Belorusskaya Metro Station is named after the people of Belarus. In the picture below, there are statues of 3 members of the Partisan Resistance in Belarus during World War II. The statues were sculpted by Sergei Orlov, S. Rabinovich and I. Slonim.

10. Teatralnaya Metro Station (Theatre Metro Station) is located near the Bolshoi Theatre.

Teatralnaya Metro Station decorated with porcelain figures .

Taking the metro's escalator at the end of the tour with Maria the tour guide.

Have you visited the Moscow Metro? Leave your comment below.

January 15, 2017 at 8:17 am

An excellent read! Thanks for much for sharing the Russian metro system with us. We're heading to Moscow in April and exploring the metro stations were on our list and after reading your post, I'm even more excited to go visit them. Thanks again 🙂

December 6, 2017 at 10:45 pm

Hi, do you remember which tour company you contacted for this tour?

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When will solar eclipse reach your town? These maps show path's timing, how long it lasts.

Hundreds of cities in 13 u.s. states fall directly on the april 8 eclipse's path of totality as the moon blocks the sun's disc and ushers in darkness. these interactive maps offer a closer look..

Come Monday, millions of Americans from Texas to Maine will stop what they're doing to step outside and spend a few minutes gazing skyward .

Few celestial events have the power to capture our collective attention the way this upcoming total solar eclipse has managed to do. And for those making time to witness it, two questions are bound to be on their mind : Will totality reach my area and if so, how long will the resulting darkness last?

Most people across the country are bound to experience the eclipse in some form, but only 13 states fall directly on the path of totality, where the moon will appear large enough to shield all but the sun's outermost layer, the corona.

As you make your eclipse-viewing plans, these interactive maps should help you chart the time and duration for when totality will occur in cities along the path.

Solar eclipse experiment: Here's why NASA is launching 3 sounding rockets into space during the total solar eclipse

Total solar eclipse path of totality map

The 115-mile-wide path of totality will pass from southwest to northeast over portions of Mexico the United States and Canada.

Mexico's Pacific coast will be the first location in continental North America to experience totality, which will occur at about 11:07 a.m. PDT,  according to NASA .

As the moon's shadow travels northeast, totality in the U.S. will begin at 1:27 p.m. CDT in Eagle Pass, Texas. From there, the path will cut diagonally across the country before ending around 3:35 p.m. EDT in Lee, Maine.

Remember: If you plan to witness the eclipse, proper eyewear is a must until the eclipse reaches totality, then it can be viewed with the naked eye.

Here's a map of some of the larger cities in each of the 13 states on the path to show how the duration of totality will vary:

Cities, states on the path of totality

All told, nearly 500 cities in 13 U.S. states are located on the eclipse's path of totality. Here are some of the major cities in each of the 13 states:

• Dallas and San Antonio, Texas
• Idabel, Oklahoma
• Poplar Bluff, Missouri
• Little Rock, Arkansas
• Paducah, Kentucky
• Indianapolis and Evansville, Indiana
• Carbondale, Illinois
• Cleveland and Toledo, Ohio
• Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse, New York
• Burlington, Vermont
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
• Caribou, Maine
• Erie, Pennsylvania

This interactive map provides a closer look at cities along the path, when totality will arrive there and how long totality will last:

Eclipse watch parties, festivals

Such a rare event is sure to attract skygazing tourists unlucky enough to live outside the path of totality. Fortunately, many cities that will experience the total eclipse are planning plenty of festivities for tourists and locals alike.

This map , courtesy of Kristian Campana at festivalguidesandreviews.com , includes locations of watch parties, music festivals and more all tied to the eclipse's arrival:

2024 total solar eclipse interactive map with zip code search

Perhaps the easiest way to see how the eclipse will impact your city or town, is to put your zip code into USA TODAY's interactive eclipse map .

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]

Watch CBS News

U.S. issues travel warning for Israel with Iran attack believed to be imminent and fear Gaza war could spread

By Debora Patta , Tucker Reals

Updated on: April 13, 2024 / 5:25 PM EDT / CBS News

Update: Iran launched drone attacks against Israel on Saturday. Read CBS News'  latest coverage here .

Tel Aviv  — Israel is bracing for a worst-case scenario that U.S. officials believe could materialize within just hours — the possibility of a direct attack on Israeli soil by Iran in retaliation for a strike almost two weeks ago that killed seven Iranian military officers. Iran has vowed to take revenge for Israel killing its commanders, who were hit by an April 1 strike on the Iranian embassy in Syria's capital.

Two U.S. officials told CBS News that a major Iranian attack against Israel was expected as soon as Friday, possibly to include more than 100 drones and dozens of missiles aimed at military targets inside the country. Sources have told CBS News the retaliation could include attacks carried out both by Iranian forces, and proxy groups around the region that it has been funneling additional arms to for weeks.  

The officials said it would be challenging for the Israelis to defend against an attack of that magnitude, and while they held out the possibility that the Iranians could opt for a smaller-scale attack to avoid a dramatic escalation, their retaliation was believed to be imminent. 

Asked Friday how imminent he believes an attack is, President Biden responded, "I don't want to get into secure information, but my expectation is sooner than later." The president urged Iran not to move forward, saying his message to Tehran was: "Don't."

Tehran has not indicated publicly how or when it will return fire, so it's unclear how far Iran's leaders will go. If they decide to carry out a direct attack on Israel, there's fear it could blow Israel's ongoing war against Iranian ally Hamas up into a much wider regional conflict.

With the Iranian retaliation expected at any time, the U.S. State Department on Thursday warned Americans in Israel not to travel outside major cities, which are better protected from incoming rocket fire by the country's Iron Dome missile defense system. The latest guidance noted that travel by U.S. government employees in Israel could be further restricted with little notice as things develop in the tinderbox region.

"Whoever harms us, we will harm them," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Thursday as he visited troops at an Israel Defense Forces airbase. "We are prepared … both defensively and offensively."

On Saturday, all U.S. embassies in the Middle East were put on high alert and required to hold emergency action committee meetings. Diplomats in Lebanon and Israel were specifically told not to travel to certain areas within those countries.

Sima Shine, a security expert and former official with Israel's national intelligence agency Mossad, told CBS News it was a dangerous moment for the region, and the "most worried" she has been. She said anxiety over an all-out war was likely just as high "on both sides, in Israel and in Iran."

If Iran does choose to strike Israel directly, it could involve a complex missile and drone attack similar to the one Iranian forces launched against a Saudi oil facility in 2019 .

"They will try to do it on the military or some military asset," Shine predicted. "But the question will be the damage. If there would be many injured people, killed or injured … I think it has the potential for a huge escalation."

Shine stressed, however, that she still believes neither side actually wants a regional conflict.

U.S. "really trying to avoid war"

The U.S. sent a senior general to Israel this week to coordinate with the close American ally on any response it might make to an Iranian attack. Speaking Friday on "CBS Mornings," America's top military officer said, "we're really trying to avoid war."

"This is part of the dialogue that I have with my counterparts within the region, to include the Israeli chief of defense, who I talked to yesterday," said Joint Chiefs chairman Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr., adding that the U.S. military was "doing things not only to prevent a war, but at the same time, one of my primary things is to make sure all the forces in the region are protected."

"My role, as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, is to plan and prepare," Brown said. "That's one thing we do very well."

Brown's Israeli counterpart, Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, "completed a comprehensive situational assessment on the readiness of the IDF for all scenarios," Israel's military said Friday. 

"The IDF is very strongly prepared, both offensively and defensively, against any threat," Halevi was quoted as saying in the statement. "The IDF continues to monitor closely what is happening in Iran and different arenas, constantly preparing to deal with existing and potential threats in coordination with the United States Armed Forces." 

The IDF said the visiting U.S. general, Central Command chief Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, was taking part in the IDF's situational assessment.

The dilemma for Iran, said Israeli expert Shine, is to figure out how to deliver its promised response to Israel's attack in Syria, but in a way that does not lead to further escalation. Likewise, Shine said Israel could choose to show restraint when it responds to whatever Iran eventually does.

If either side gets the balance wrong, the consequences for the region, and even the world, could be dire.

Weijia Jiang, David Martin, Margaret Brennan and Olivia Gazis contributed reporting.

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• Benjamin Neta​nyahu

Debora Patta is a CBS News foreign correspondent based in Johannesburg. Since joining CBS News in 2013, she has reported on major stories across Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Edward R. Murrow and Scripps Howard awards are among the many accolades Patta has received for her work.

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