This travel site is the Google Maps helper you never knew you needed

Trying to get from point A to point B? If only it were that simple! With any manner of travel these days, you’ve got options: planes, trains, buses, ferries, and beyond. And finding the best path to embark on isn’t always easy.

Even finding all the available options can sometimes be a pain. But it doesn’t have to be.

For over a decade, I’ve been using a tool that demystifies how to get from one location to another. It’s a great way to see all the available travel options in a single spot—complete with estimated prices and travel times.

Notably, there’s absolutely no AI at play here. AI travel tools may be interesting for brainstorming ideas, but this tool will show you only real transportation options with up-to-date information. 

Let’s get moving.

Psst: If you love these types of tools as much as I do, check out my free Cool Tools newsletter from The Intelligence. You’ll be the first to find all sorts of simple tech treasures!

Google Maps who?

The next time you encounter a complicated web of route options, remember a site called ​Rome2Rio​.

➜ Rome2Rio shows every last possible travel option in a single streamlined place. It even finds routes Google Maps misses—that’s the main point.

To get started, head to the ​Rome2Rio website​. You can also install the free app for your ​Android​ device or ​iPhone​, if you’d rather. Whichever path you pick, you won’t need to create an account or jump through any silly hoops to get going.

Just plug in the destination you’re starting from, the destination you’re headed to—and that’s it.

You’ll instantly see all your options, with prices attached.

The site will even provide options that string together multiple modes of travel. If the best method available for a given trip is to take a train, board an airplane, and then jump on a ferry, Rome2Rio will tell you.

You can actually book your travel through Rome2Rio, too, but I’ve always just used it as a search engine and a starting point for my travel planning.

Ultimately, Rome2Rio is a huge, regularly updated database that does one thing and does it exceptionally well. It even beats most AI-powered travel tools in 2025, assuming you just want to know concrete ways to get from A to B.

• Rome2Rio is available ​on the web​, as ​an Android app​, and as ​an iPhone app​.
• The service is completely free. (It makes money with ads and affiliate links, if you use it to book travel.)
• Rome2Rio’s ​privacy policy​ says the service will never sell your personal information. And again, you don’t even need an account to use it.

Navigate your way to even more productivity-boosting goodness with my free Cool Tools newsletter. You’ll get an instant introduction to an incredible audio app and a new off-the-beaten-path gem in your inbox every Wednesday!

https://www.fastcompany.com/91308306/rome2rio-google-maps?partner=rss&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss