Google Maps is a great tool for finding driving directions, as well as for getting a general overview of an area. Now they’ve added another great feature for those who like to get around by foot: walking directions. So what’s the difference between driving directions and walking directions? Walking directions ignore things like one-way streets that don’t apply to foot traffic, and give you the fastest route from point a to point b.
The service is still a work-in-progress, and as of right now it only contains walking directions by road. It does not include shortcuts through traffic circles, parks, or any other off-road features such as pedestrian paths. For those cities where Google has already mapped out public transport, they’ve now included walking directions automatically from your subway/bus/train stop.
The walking directions are also limited to Google Maps on your computer, and hasn’t yet gone mobile. Perhaps once this project graduates from beta, mobile service will be added.
