Worldwide Route Planners www.travelplanet.cc
A comparison and overview for driving, road trips, public transport, rail, bus, ferry, flights, hiking and cycling, including practical recommendations for different types of travel.
1. Quick Choice by Travel Purpose
Not every route planner solves the same problem. The best tool for daily navigation is not necessarily the best one for a world trip, rental-car itinerary or hiking route. Use this overview to choose quickly.
| Travel Purpose | Especially Suitable Route Planners | Why |
|---|---|---|
| International travel from A to B | Rome2Rio | Compares flights, rail, bus, ferry, driving and mixed transport options worldwide. |
| Daily navigation at the destination | Google Maps, HERE WeGo | Navigation, traffic, local places, walking directions and public transport where available. |
| Multiple destinations, round trips and daily schedules | Wanderlog | Organises places, accommodation, reservations, daily plans and routes in one trip. |
| Driving holidays in Europe | ViaMichelin, Google Maps | Driving times, tolls, vignettes, fuel costs and daily navigation. |
| Road trips in North America | Roadtrippers, Wanderlog | Routes with attractions, campsites, hotels and noteworthy stops. |
| Rail travel through Europe | Bahn.de, Trainline, Rail Planner | Specific train connections, reservations and information for Eurail/Interrail passes. |
| Hiking or cycling | Komoot, Outdooractive, AllTrails | Activity-based route planning, elevation profiles, offline maps and community information. |
2. Worldwide All-round Route Planners
These services are especially versatile. They are suitable for initial research, local navigation and journeys that combine several modes of transport.
| Route Planner | Best For | Worldwide Use | Strengths | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Maps | Driving, walking, cycling, public transport, motorcycles and some flight information | Very good | Navigation, live traffic, attractions, reviews, offline maps and multiple stops. | Less clear for complex multi-day itineraries and complete travel budgets. |
| Rome2Rio | International and multimodal travel | Very good | Compares flights, trains, buses, ferries, driving and combined routes; searches cities, towns, sights and addresses. | Always verify schedules, prices and availability directly with the provider before booking. |
| Wanderlog | Round trips, road trips, daily itineraries and group travel | Very good | Map-based trip planning, stops, accommodation, reservations, daily structure, collaboration and route optimisation. | For live turn-by-turn navigation, exporting to or using a navigation app is often more convenient. |
| HERE WeGo | Navigation and offline travel | Very good | Maps, navigation, offline functions and routes for driving, walking, cycling and, in some locations, public transport. | Less complete for full holiday organisation than dedicated trip-planning services. |
| MapQuest | Classic driving routes and map research | Good | Simple point-to-point routes, traffic information and driving directions. | Less comprehensive for worldwide multimodal travel and full trip organisation. |
| OpenStreetMap | Open maps, research and custom web projects | Very good | Open global map data, useful for custom mapping and routing projects. | Not a complete standard route planner without additional routing services. |
Google Maps
Google Maps is a universal companion for daily travel: finding places, starting navigation, checking traffic, looking up restaurants, planning walking routes and comparing public transport in many destinations. For simple road trips, you can add stops. For a full multi-day itinerary with bookings and budget, an additional planning tool is usually more useful.
NavigationTrafficOffline mapsPlaces & reviews
Rome2Rio
Rome2Rio mainly answers the question: “How do I get from A to B?” It is particularly useful for international travel, island connections and routes where flights, trains, buses, ferries and driving compete or need to be combined. Its results are useful for research; always verify final times, prices and bookings directly with the actual transport provider.
FlightsRailBusFerryWorldwide
Wanderlog
Wanderlog is useful when separate places need to become one complete itinerary. You can collect attractions, hotels, restaurants, bookings and daily stages in one map and travel plan. It is particularly useful for round trips, road trips and shared planning with travel companions.
Round tripsDaily plansCollaborationStops
Back to table of contents3. Driving, Rental Cars and Road Trips
For driving holidays, distance and travel time are not the only considerations. Tolls, vignettes, fuel, parking, border crossings, vehicle height, campsites and the best order of stops all matter.
| Route Planner | Especially Suitable For | Key Functions |
|---|---|---|
| ViaMichelin | Europe and worldwide driving | Distance, travel time, traffic, fuel, toll and vignette costs; fast, short, economical or scenic routes. |
| Roadtrippers | Road trips, RV travel and camping, especially North America | Attractions, campsites, hotels, restaurants and interesting stops along the route. |
| Wanderlog Road Trip Planner | Multi-day tours and worldwide itineraries | Stops on a map, travel times, daily stages, travel plan and route optimisation. |
| Google Maps | Daily driving and local navigation | Live traffic, fuel stations, parking, restaurants, stops and offline maps. |
| MyRouteOnline | Many fixed addresses and stops | Address lists, stop-order optimisation, map view and export options. |
| Kurviger | Motorcycle journeys | Winding and scenic routes, waypoints and GPX export. |
| Calimoto | Motorcycle travel | Winding routes, navigation, tour planning and community routes. |
Especially Useful in Europe: ViaMichelin
ViaMichelin is strong for travellers who want a realistic estimate of driving costs. It can factor tolls, vignettes and fuel costs into route planning. This is helpful for trips through several European countries, where costs and toll systems can quickly add up.
Especially Useful in North America: Roadtrippers
Roadtrippers focuses on the experience along the road: viewpoints, national parks, campsites, fuel stops, unusual attractions and accommodation. This makes it particularly useful for RV trips and long drives through the United States or Canada.
4. Rail, Bus, Ferry and Flights
For international travel, a two-step approach is often best: first compare possible transport modes using a global tool, then check timetable, fare, baggage and booking conditions with the actual operator or a reputable booking service.
| Route Planner / Service | Suitable For | Special Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Rome2Rio | Worldwide multimodal connections | A first overview of combinations involving rail, bus, flights, ferries, driving and transfers. |
| Google Maps | Urban transport and many regional services | Useful for metro, bus, tram, walking and the last mile at the destination. |
| Omio | Europe and selected additional markets | Comparison and booking of rail, long-distance bus and flights on many routes. |
| Trainline | Rail travel, especially Europe | Timetable and ticket comparison for rail and some bus connections. |
| Bahn.de | International rail travel in Europe | Connections especially involving Germany as origin, destination or transit point, with timetable and booking information. |
| Rail Planner | Eurail and Interrail travel | Trip management, train connections and essential information for pass holders. |
| FlixBus | International long-distance bus travel | Route search and direct booking in numerous countries. |
| Ferryhopper | Ferries and island hopping | Ferry connections, especially in Europe and on island routes, with booking options. |
| Skyscanner | Flight search and flexible destination search | Flight-price comparison, flexible dates and ideas for lower-cost destinations. |
| Google Flights | Flight comparison | A quick price overview, flexible dates and price tracking. |
Why Combine Rome2Rio with Direct Operators?
Rome2Rio is useful for orientation and finding possible connections. For a binding travel decision, then check the specific route with the railway operator, airline, ferry company or bus operator. That is where you will normally find the most reliable current fare, baggage rules, seat reservations, cancellation terms and short-notice changes.
Ferries and Island Connections
For ferries, season, weather, vehicle transport, port location and check-in deadlines are particularly important. Plan not only for departure time, but also for getting to the port, boarding and possible weather-related cancellations. When connections are tight, an overnight stay near the port may be safer.
Back to table of contents5. Hiking, Cycling and Outdoor Routes
Outdoor routes differ fundamentally from road routes. Elevation gain, trail surface, weather, daylight, water sources, closures and your personal fitness are at least as important as distance.
| Route Planner | Use Case | Strengths |
|---|---|---|
| Komoot | Hiking, cycling and mountain biking | Activity-based planning, elevation profiles, offline navigation and community tips. |
| AllTrails | Hiking and nature routes | Trails, difficulty, reviews, maps and offline features depending on plan. |
| Outdooractive | Hiking, cycling, mountain sports and ski touring | Routes, maps, elevation profiles and regional outdoor content. |
| Strava Routes | Road cycling, gravel and running | Community-based routes, activity data and a sports focus. |
| Ride with GPS | Cycling holidays and long-distance touring | Detailed route planning, navigation, GPX and elevation information. |
| BRouter | Cycling and GPX planning | Free, technically oriented routing based on OpenStreetMap data. |
| Organic Maps | Offline hiking and travel | Privacy-friendly offline maps based on OpenStreetMap. |
6. Recommended Combinations
One tool rarely covers every phase of a trip well. A sensible combination produces more accurate planning and makes travel easier once you are on the move.
World Trip or Long-Haul Journey
- Rome2Rio: Research possible connections between countries, cities, islands and airports.
- Google Flights or Skyscanner: Compare flight options and flexible dates.
- Wanderlog: Organise accommodation, attractions, bookings and daily structure.
- Google Maps or HERE WeGo: Navigate and orient yourself at the destination.
European Driving Itinerary
- ViaMichelin: Calculate tolls, vignettes, fuel and realistic driving costs.
- Wanderlog: Plan accommodation, stops and daily stages.
- Google Maps or HERE WeGo: Use for daily navigation, traffic and local searches.
Interrail, Rail and Ferries
- Rome2Rio: Compare transport modes and alternatives between countries or islands.
- Bahn.de, Trainline or national rail operators: Check specific services, reservations and fares.
- Rail Planner: Use when travelling with a Eurail or Interrail pass.
- Ferryhopper: Plan ferries and island hopping where it covers the desired route.
Road Trip with Many Attractions
- Roadtrippers: Find interesting stops along the route, especially in North America.
- Wanderlog: Combine stages, accommodation and sightseeing in one daily plan.
- Google Maps: Use for actual navigation and live traffic during driving days.
Hiking or Cycling Holiday
- Komoot, Outdooractive or AllTrails: Choose the route, check elevation and trail type, then save offline maps.
- Google Maps or Organic Maps: Find the route start, accommodation and local supplies.
- Weather and local outdoor information: Always check in addition before setting out.
8. What to Check Before Following a Route
Every digital route planner uses data that can change at short notice. Especially for international travel, do not follow a proposed route blindly.
Check Routes Before Departure
- Verify timetable, price and availability directly with the actual transport operator
- Check departure and arrival point carefully: airport, station, terminal, port or bus stop
- Assess connection time realistically and allow large buffers when travelling on separate tickets
- Check baggage rules, seat-reservation requirements, check-in deadlines and cancellation terms
- For driving, account for tolls, vignettes, environmental zones, border crossings, parking and fuel rules
- For outdoor routes, consider weather, closures, daylight, elevation, water and personal fitness
- Save offline maps, addresses, tickets and emergency contacts before leaving
- In remote regions, prepare an alternative for lack of mobile signal and an empty battery