5 of the Best Route Planners

04-04-2023

AA Route Planner 

We start our list with the AA Route Planner, a back-to-basics planner with a simple interface.

The AA Route Planner is a simple to use and basic route planner which makes it easy to plan a journey in the UK, Ireland, and EU. 

The AA route planner is a tool designed to help individuals plan the best route from one location to another. It is available online and provides real-time directions, traffic updates, and estimated travel times. The following steps explain how the AA route planner works:

• Enter the starting point and destination - The first step is to enter the starting point and the destination in the AA route planner. This can be done by typing in the address or postcode of the locations.
• Choose the mode of transportation - The AA route planner allows users to select the mode of transportation they will be using, such as driving, walking, or cycling.
• Select the route - Once the starting point and destination have been entered, and the mode of transportation has been selected, the AA route planner will generate several routes that can be taken to reach the destination. The routes are ranked in order of the shortest distance, the fastest time, or the most economical option, depending on the user's preference.
• Review the route - After selecting a route, the AA route planner will provide a detailed overview of the route, including the distance, estimated travel time, and any potential traffic or roadwork delays.
• Customise the route - Users can customise the route by adding waypoints or avoiding specific roads. The AA route planner will then adjust the route accordingly.
• Save or print the route - Once the route has been finalized, users can save it or print it out for future reference.

It lacks geo-location, so you have to input your journey details manually, but thanks to Google Maps it provides a decent list of text-based directions and an eye-catching map which can be printed out. You can also save routes and view traffic news, although this is on a separate tab and isn't included in the planning stage.

With this route planner you can also located hotels and B&Bs. The AA has 1000s of hotels and B&Bs stored on its database so if you're travelling somewhere and need a place to stay this will be invaluable.

RAC Route Planner

Next up is the RAC Route Planner, which has one of the best text-based systems.

The RAC Route Planner is a popular tool used by individuals who want to plan the best route from one location to another. It is available online and provides real-time directions, traffic updates, and estimated travel times. The following steps explain how the RAC Route Planner works:

• Enter the starting point and destination - The first step is to enter the starting point and the destination in the RAC Route Planner. This can be done by typing in the address or postcode of the locations.
• Choose the mode of transportation - The RAC Route Planner allows users to select the mode of transportation they will be using, such as driving, walking, or cycling.
• Select the route - Once the starting point and destination have been entered, and the mode of transportation has been selected, the RAC Route Planner will generate several routes that can be taken to reach the destination. The routes are ranked in order of the shortest distance, the fastest time, or the most economical option, depending on the user's preference.
• Review the route - After selecting a route, the RAC Route Planner will provide a detailed overview of the route, including the distance, estimated travel time, and any potential traffic or roadwork delays.
• Customise the route - Users can customise the route by adding waypoints or avoiding specific roads. The RAC Route Planner will then adjust the route accordingly.
• Save or print the route - Once the route has been finalized, users can save it or print it out for future reference.

The RAC Route Planner also provides additional features that make it a popular choice for planning travel routes. For example, users can view the route in 3D, which provides a more detailed and interactive view of the journey. Additionally, users can view live traffic updates and roadwork information, which can be useful when planning a trip.

The RAC Route Planner is used by over a hundred thousand motorists every year thanks to its reliable text-based planning system. 

What makes the RAC Route Planner great is the easy to follow text-based directions which can be printed out, emailed, or shared on Facebook, Google+, and Twitter. There is also now a beta feature for walking directions although we haven't tested this function yet.

The only downside to this route planner is that it doesn't incorporate traffic into directions - traffic is on a separate tab. Also, this route planner uses Google Maps for its map, which is fine, but it would have been good to see a homegrown map.

WAZE

Waze is an ultra-reliable route planner complete with mobile app.

Waze is a popular mobile app and navigation tool that provides real-time traffic updates, directions, and route planning. The following steps explain how the Waze route planner works:

• Enter the starting point and destination - The first step is to enter the starting point and the destination in the Waze app. This can be done by typing in the address or selecting the location on the map.
• Choose the mode of transportation - Waze allows users to select the mode of transportation they will be using, such as driving, walking, or cycling.
• Select the route - Once the starting point and destination have been entered, and the mode of transportation has been selected, Waze will generate several routes that can be taken to reach the destination. The routes are ranked in order of the fastest time, the shortest distance, or the most economical option, depending on the user's preference.
• Real-time updates - Waze provides real-time traffic updates and information on any accidents or road closures on the selected route. This allows users to plan accordingly and avoid traffic delays.
• Customisation options - Waze offers various customisation options for the selected route, such as adding a stop or avoiding a specific road. The app will then adjust the route accordingly.
• Share location and ETA - Waze also allows users to share their location and estimated time of arrival with friends and family. This feature can be useful when coordinating plans or letting someone know when to expect you.

Waze is a highly interactive and user-friendly navigation tool that provides real-time information and customisation options. Its ability to offer live traffic updates and the ability to avoid accidents and road closures makes it a popular choice for drivers who want to get to their destination quickly and efficiently.

Waze started life out as a simple traffic jam news and update system, but quickly evolved into one of the go-to tools for route planning after an update which let users choose routes. 

The Waze app is available for Android on Google Play, on iTunes for Apple devices, and on Windows Phone. The app is just as good as the web interface and it's highly recommended for heavy milers. The only downside to Waze is that it's not the most detailed system and it lacks some of the neat features of our number one entrant. Other than that, it comes highly recommended by us. 

TomTom Routes

Next up is TomTom Routes, a powerful and accurate route planner with a good interface.

TomTom Routes uses the same reliable maps and traffic information that TomTom uses in its hugely popular satellite navigation systems, which means you can be confident that the route you are given is an intelligent one. The web-based TomTom Routes is best used for beating traffic jams because it has huge ability at detecting the slightest congestion - this will be useful for when leaving work.

This traffic-centric route planner also lists traffic information within a 10-mile radius so any detour can be well planned. The only downside to TomTom Routes is that it doesn't offer much in way of routes - it basically picks one based on traffic information and sticks to it. If you're on the move, this might be a problem... so we recommend consulting our first-place route planner for trickier trips. 

Google Maps

It should come as no surprise that the best route planner out there is Google Maps.

Google Maps is a widely-used navigation tool that provides real-time traffic updates, directions, and route planning. The following steps explain how the Google Maps route planner works:

• Enter the starting point and destination - The first step is to enter the starting point and the destination in Google Maps. This can be done by typing in the address or selecting the location on the map.
• Choose the mode of transportation - Google Maps allows users to select the mode of transportation they will be using, such as driving, walking, or cycling.
• Select the route - Once the starting point and destination have been entered, and the mode of transportation has been selected, Google Maps will generate several routes that can be taken to reach the destination. The routes are ranked in order of the fastest time, the shortest distance, or the most economical option, depending on the user's preference.
• Real-time updates - Google Maps provides real-time traffic updates and information on any accidents or road closures on the selected route. This allows users to plan accordingly and avoid traffic delays.
• Customisation options - Google Maps offers various customisation options for the selected route, such as adding a stop or avoiding a specific road. The app will then adjust the route accordingly.
• Integration with other apps - Google Maps also integrates with other apps, such as Uber and Lyft, allowing users to book a ride directly from the app.
• Offline maps - Google Maps also offers the option to download maps for offline use, which can be useful when travelling to areas with limited or no internet connectivity.

Overall, Google Maps is a highly interactive and user-friendly navigation tool that provides real-time information and customisation options. Its ability to offer live traffic updates and integration with other apps makes it a popular choice for drivers who want to get to their destination quickly and efficiently.

The beauty of Google Maps is its usability. It's incredibly simple to find and load and it's super-easy to input an address to. When you have your directions, all you need to do is print out the map and follow it when you're driving, just like drivers used to do with hand-planned maps. You can also share and embed maps on social media.

Usefully, Google Maps gives you a rough time estimate for a trip without traffic and lists the total distance. Google Maps also gives you alternative routes and can be used by people walking, cycling, and using public transport. You can also toggle between 'map' and 'earth' views. 

This tool is also fully linked with Google Street View, a unique tool that lets you literally see streets as they are. Google Maps also accesses your current location to give you the option to explore local areas.

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