Create and Save a Custom Route in Google Maps

Google Maps can help you plan a route when the normal suggested route does not match the path you want to take. You can create a custom route by adding stops, changing the order of destinations, or using Google My Maps to draw a specific route.

This is useful when you want to plan a road trip, avoid a particular road, follow a preferred route, or save a planned journey for later. Google Maps provides different options depending on whether you simply want to modify a route for navigation or permanently create a custom map.

The easiest method is to add destinations and change the route using Google Maps on a computer. For more detailed custom routes, Google My Maps provides additional control.

Method 1: Create a Route With Multiple Destinations

The simplest way to customize a Google Maps route is to add multiple stops.

1. Open Google Maps in a web browser.
2. Search for your starting location.
3. Select Directions.
4. Enter your destination.
5. Choose the preferred travel mode, such as driving.
6. Select Add destination.
7. Enter another location.
8. Continue adding destinations as needed.

Google Maps will calculate a route that passes through the destinations you entered.

You can also change the order of destinations by dragging them into a different position in the directions panel.

This method is useful when you want Google Maps to automatically calculate a practical route between several places.

Method 2: Drag the Route to a Different Road

On a computer, Google Maps can allow you to adjust a driving route by dragging the suggested route.

1. Open Google Maps.
2. Select Directions.
3. Enter your starting point and destination.
4. Select the driving option.
5. Look at the suggested route on the map.
6. Move the pointer over the route line.
7. Drag the route toward the road you want to use.
8. Release the route when it follows the desired path.

Google Maps can recalculate the route based on the road you selected.

This is useful when you want to pass through a particular town or road without adding that location as a formal destination.

The availability and behavior of route dragging can vary depending on the route and travel mode.

Method 3: Add an Intermediate Stop

If you want to force Google Maps to pass through a particular location, adding it as a stop is often more reliable than trying to drag the route.

For example, suppose you want to travel from Location A to Location C but want to pass through Location B.

1. Open Google Maps.
2. Select Directions.
3. Enter Location A as the starting point.
4. Enter Location C as the destination.
5. Select Add destination.
6. Enter Location B.
7. Move Location B above the final destination if necessary.

Google Maps will calculate a route that passes through the intermediate location.

You can add multiple stops when planning a longer journey.

Method 4: Change the Order of Stops

If your trip includes several destinations, changing their order can create a different route.

1. Create a route with multiple destinations.
2. Find the list of destinations in the directions panel.
3. Select and hold the destination you want to move.
4. Drag it to another position.
5. Release it.
6. Allow Google Maps to recalculate the route.

For example, instead of traveling:

Home → A → B → C → Home

you could rearrange it to:

Home → B → A → C → Home

The resulting route can be significantly different.

Rearranging stops is particularly useful for road trips, delivery routes, sightseeing, and other journeys involving multiple locations.

Method 5: Create a Custom Route With Google My Maps

For a route that you want to save as part of a custom map, Google My Maps provides more control than ordinary Google Maps directions.

1. Open Google My Maps in a web browser.
2. Sign in with your Google account.
3. Create a new map.
4. Give the map a name.
5. Select the option to add directions.
6. Choose the appropriate travel mode.
7. Enter the starting point.
8. Enter the destination.
9. Add additional locations if needed.

Your route is added to a layer in the custom map.

You can create additional layers for places, routes, markers, or different parts of a trip.

Google My Maps is especially useful when you are planning a trip and want to keep several locations and routes together rather than creating a temporary route in Google Maps.

Method 6: Draw a Custom Route on a Map

If you need to show a specific path that does not necessarily need to follow Google’s navigation route, you can use drawing tools in a custom map.

1. Open your custom map.
2. Select the drawing or line tool.
3. Choose the option for adding a line or route.
4. Click the points along the path you want to create.
5. Continue placing points along the route.
6. Double-click or finish the line when you reach the destination.
7. Give the route a name.

This creates a visual custom route on your map.

A manually drawn line is different from a navigation route. It can show the path you want on the map, but it does not necessarily provide turn-by-turn navigation instructions.

Method 7: Save the Custom Map for Later

If you create a custom map for a trip or project, keep it saved in your Google account.

After creating the map:

1. Give the map a descriptive name.
2. Add your locations and routes.
3. Make sure your changes are saved.
4. Open Google Maps when you need the map again.
5. Access your saved maps through the appropriate saved or custom-map section.

Saving the map means you do not have to recreate the same route every time.

This can be useful for vacation planning, business travel, regular routes, property visits, or sightseeing trips.

Method 8: Share a Custom Route With Someone Else

After creating a custom map, you can share it with other people.

1. Open the custom map.
2. Select the sharing option.
3. Choose the appropriate sharing permissions.
4. Copy the sharing link when available.
5. Send it to the person you want to share the map with.

The recipient can open the map and view the locations and routes you created.

Before sharing a map, check whether it contains private locations or information that you do not want other people to see.

How to Make a Route With Several Stops

For a normal trip with multiple destinations, you usually do not need to create a custom map.

Use Google Maps directions and add your destinations in the desired order.

For example:

Start → Hotel → Restaurant → Tourist Spot → Home

Google Maps can calculate the route through these locations automatically.

If the order is not correct, rearrange the stops until the route matches your planned journey.

How to Avoid a Specific Road

If Google Maps keeps selecting a road you do not want to use, try adding a location along your preferred alternative road as an intermediate destination.

You can also look at the alternative routes displayed by Google Maps and select another available route.

For more complicated trips, Google My Maps gives you greater control over how the planned journey is represented.

Google Maps Route vs Google My Maps

These two options serve different purposes.

Google Maps is primarily designed for navigation. It is better when you need directions from one place to another and want Google to calculate the route.

Google My Maps is better for creating and saving a custom map containing multiple locations, routes, markers, and layers.

If you simply want to travel from one place to another using a preferred road, regular Google Maps may be enough. If you are planning an entire trip and want to keep the route and locations together, a custom map can be more useful.

Conclusion

Creating a custom route in Google Maps is useful when the standard route does not match your travel plans. You can add intermediate destinations, rearrange stops, select alternative routes, and in some cases adjust the route directly on the map.

For simple trips, adding several destinations is usually the easiest approach. If you need a more detailed route that you want to save and organize, Google My Maps provides additional tools for creating custom maps and routes.

Remember that a manually drawn route is primarily a visual map element and is different from a standard Google Maps navigation route. For turn-by-turn navigation, use Google Maps directions and add appropriate stops or select an available alternative route.

FAQs

1. Can I create a completely custom route in Google Maps?

You can customize a route by adding destinations, rearranging stops, selecting alternative routes, and sometimes dragging the route. For more detailed custom maps, Google My Maps can be used.

2. How do I force Google Maps to take a specific road?

Add a location along the road you want to use as an intermediate destination. Google Maps will normally calculate the route through that location.

3. Can I save a custom route in Google Maps?

You can save places and routes in Google Maps, while Google My Maps can be used to create and save more detailed custom maps containing routes and locations.

4. Can I share a custom Google Maps route?

Yes. A custom map created with Google My Maps can be shared with other people using its sharing options.

Quick Summary

• Add multiple destinations to customize a normal Google Maps route.
• Rearrange stops or use an intermediate location to influence the route.
• Use route dragging when the option is available on desktop.
• Use Google My Maps when you need to create, save, organize, or share a detailed custom route.