How do I get public transport directions on Google Maps?

Enter your destination, tap Directions, then select the train/transit icon (the little bus or train symbol) instead of driving or walking. Google Maps shows route options with departure times, line numbers, number of changes, and total journey time. Tap any option for step-by-step guidance, and use the time filter to plan around a specific departure or arrival time.

Does Google Maps work offline for public transport?

No — and this catches many travelers out. Google Maps offline maps only support driving and walking directions, not public-transport routing. Even with a city downloaded, you cannot plan a transit journey without an internet connection. For offline transit you need a different app such as Moovit or HERE WeGo, or you need mobile data.

How do I download Google Maps for offline use abroad?

Search for your city, tap its name at the bottom, then tap the three dots and choose 'Download offline map' (or search 'offline maps' in your profile menu). Adjust the box to cover your area and download over Wi-Fi before you travel. Remember this gives you offline driving and walking only — not transit routing.

Does Google Maps show live bus and train times?

In many cities, yes. Where a transit agency shares real-time data, Google Maps shows live departures, delays, and how crowded a service is. Coverage varies by city and country — big metros are well covered, smaller networks may show scheduled times only. You need a data connection for live information.

Is Google Maps or Citymapper better for transit?

Google Maps has far wider global coverage and handles driving and offline walking maps, so it works almost everywhere. Citymapper is more detailed in the big cities it supports — clearer changes, exit and carriage hints, better disruption handling. Many travelers use Citymapper in major cities it covers and Google Maps everywhere else.

Why has Google Maps stopped showing transit routes?

If transit options disappear, it's usually one of three things: you're offline (transit routing needs data), the transit mode filter is turned off, or the local agency doesn't share data for that area. Check your connection, make sure the transit icon is selected in Directions, and confirm the city actually has Google transit coverage.

Do I need a Google account to use transit directions?

No. Anyone can get public-transport directions on Google Maps without signing in. A Google account lets you save places, sync home/work, and keep history across devices, but it isn't required for routing. You do need an internet connection, since transit directions don't work offline.

How to Use Google Maps for Public Transport Abroad

Google Maps is the map app almost everyone already has — and for getting around an unfamiliar city by public transport, it's genuinely good. It covers more of the world than any specialist transit app, shows live departures in many cities, and the interface is the same everywhere. But it has one limitation that trips up travelers constantly: it can't plan public-transport routes offline. Learn the workaround and Google Maps becomes a reliable transit companion almost anywhere.

Getting transit directions

Search your destination and tap Directions.
Tap the transit icon — the little train/bus symbol — instead of car or walking.
Read the options. Each shows departure time, lines, number of changes, and total duration.
Tap one for step-by-step guidance, with platforms, stops, and where to get off.
Use the time filter ("Depart at / Arrive by") to plan around a specific train or a dinner reservation.

Filter by mode and fewer transfers

Inside transit directions you can tell Google Maps to prefer fewer transfers, less walking, or a specific mode like subway-only. With luggage or kids, "fewer transfers" can turn a stressful route into an easy one.

The big catch: transit doesn't work offline

This is the single most important thing to know. Google Maps offline maps only cover driving and walking — there is no offline public-transport routing, even if you've downloaded the entire city. The moment you lose your connection underground or off-Wi-Fi, transit planning stops working.

Plan your route before you go underground

Look up your transit journey while you still have a connection, then screenshot it or start navigation before you descend into the metro. For genuinely offline transit, install a backup like Moovit or HERE WeGo, which can store lines and schedules locally.

How to download offline maps (for driving and walking)

Offline maps are still worth setting up for walking directions and general orientation:

Search your city, tap its name at the bottom of the screen.
Tap the three dots → Download offline map (or find "Offline maps" in your profile menu).
Adjust the box to cover where you'll be and download over Wi-Fi before you fly.

Just remember: this gets you offline driving and walking, never transit routing.

Live times and crowding

In cities where the local agency shares data, Google Maps shows live departures, delays, and how busy a service is — all of which need a data connection. Major metros are well covered; smaller networks may only show the printed schedule.

Arrived launches soon. Get the right transport setup the moment you land.

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Google Maps vs Citymapper

Google Maps: unbeatable global coverage, plus driving and offline walking maps. Works almost everywhere.
Citymapper: richer detail — exit and carriage hints, clearer changes, better disruptions — but only in the 430+ big cities it supports.

Use Citymapper in the major cities it covers, and Google Maps everywhere else.

The traveler's setup

Get mobile data (eSIM or roaming) — it's what makes transit routing and live times work.
Download an offline map of your city for walking and orientation.
Add a backup transit app (Moovit or HERE WeGo) for the underground and dead zones.
Look up routes before you go offline, and screenshot the key one.

Google Maps will get you almost anywhere by public transport — as long as you respect the offline limit and keep a backup for the metro. What it won't do is decide whether the train, a Bolt, or a walk is the right call for this trip, in this city, with your budget. That decision, made for you the moment you land, is what Arrived is being built to handle.