
Cycling Just Got Easier: Google Maps Expands Support Across European Cities
Google has announced a set of new updates to Google Maps aimed at helping users in Europe travel more sustainably and reduce their environmental impact. These changes are part of the company’s broader efforts to support greener transportation options and cut carbon emissions in urban areas.
🚶‍♂️ AI-Powered Suggestions for Smarter, Greener Travel
One of the key features being expanded is an AI-driven tool that predicts when walking or using public transit will take about the same time as driving. Originally available in 60 cities, this feature encourages users to choose alternatives to car travel by showing routes that are just as fast — if not faster — than driving.
According to Google, this feature has already helped prevent tens of millions of unnecessary car trips. It’s now set to roll out to additional European cities, including Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Warsaw , giving even more people access to smarter route suggestions.
đźš« Low-Emission Zone Alerts for Drivers
For drivers, Google Maps now displays real-time alerts when entering designated low-emission or low-traffic zones in supported cities like London and Berlin . These notifications inform users whether their vehicle meets local regulations and suggest alternative routes if needed.
This feature is expected to expand to over 1,000 low-emission and low-traffic zones across Europe in the coming months, covering countries such as Italy, Sweden, and Austria , among others.
🚴‍♀️ Enhanced Cycling Navigation for Safer Rides
Google is also improving its cycling navigation experience by adding detailed route information in more locations. Users will now see clearly marked bike lanes , as well as important details like heavy traffic zones and steep inclines along their planned route.
The update will be available in 17 new cities worldwide , with nine located in Europe , bringing the total coverage to around 125,000 km (77,671 miles) of mapped bike lanes globally. Google has collaborated with city authorities and local governments in places like Hamburg, Madrid, Barcelona, Milan, Rome, Zurich, Budapest, Vienna, and Brussels to provide accurate and up-to-date data.
â›˝ Fuel-Efficient Routing Now Available Globally
In another major development, Google confirmed that fuel-efficient routing — also known as eco-friendly routing — is now available worldwide. This feature calculates the most energy-efficient path for any trip, helping users save fuel and reduce emissions.
Initially launched in the U.S. in 2021, it was later extended to over 40 European countries in 2022. Today, it supports hundreds of millions of trips every month.
Google estimates that since its launch, this feature has contributed to more than 2.7 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions avoided in 2024 alone — equivalent to removing over 630,000 gasoline-powered cars from roads for an entire year .