Google Maps
Works almost everywhere except mainland China. Offline maps are critical when roaming.
What Google Maps is
Google Maps is the go-to navigation app for most of the world, offering driving, walking, cycling, and public-transit directions plus reviews, hours, and photos for places. Travelers rely on it for routing in unfamiliar cities and for finding nearby food, ATMs, and attractions. Its downloadable offline maps make it especially valuable when roaming or avoiding data costs.
What it does for travelers
- ✓Turn-by-turn navigation for driving, walking, cycling, and transit
- ✓Downloadable offline maps for driving navigation without a data connection
- ✓Public-transit schedules and routing in many cities worldwide
- ✓Business listings with hours, reviews, photos, and contact details
- ✓Saved places and custom lists for trip planning
Good to know
- It does not work reliably in mainland China, where local apps are the norm.
- Offline maps give driving directions only, with no transit, walking, cycling, or traffic; download areas before you lose signal.
- Core navigation is free; an account is optional but enables saved places and timeline.
- Live features like traffic and real-time transit need a data connection.
Travel tips
- Download the offline map of your destination region while on Wi-Fi before departure to navigate without roaming charges.
- In mainland China, plan to use a local map app, since Google Maps positioning is unreliable there.
- Save your hotel, key sights, and the nearest transit stops as starred places so you can find your way back easily.
- Check the transit tab for local bus and metro routing, which is often more current than guessing from a paper map.
When to reach for it
Use Google Maps as your default almost anywhere outside mainland China, especially when you want offline navigation and broad coverage of businesses and transit in one app.
Where we list Google Maps
83 destinations, with what it's good for in each.
- 🇯🇵JapanWorks well for general routing.
- 🇹🇼TaiwanWorks perfectly across Taiwan.
- 🇭🇰Hong KongWorks well.
- 🇹🇭ThailandWorks everywhere.
- 🇻🇳VietnamWorks well, but offline maps are critical.
- 🇸🇬SingaporeExcellent transit integration with MRT.
- 🇮🇩IndonesiaSolid, but bookmark offline maps for Bali.
- 🇵🇭PhilippinesWorks well.
- 🇮🇳IndiaWorks well.
- 🇺🇸United StatesBest for transit and walking in any US city.
- 🇬🇧United KingdomSolid for everywhere else.
- 🇫🇷FranceStrong everywhere else.
- 🇩🇪GermanyReliable for transit and walking.
- 🇮🇹ItalySolid across Italy.
- 🇪🇸SpainStrong for everywhere else.
- 🇳🇱NetherlandsExcellent cycling and transit routes.
- 🇦🇺AustraliaSolid for transit.
- 🇲🇽MexicoStrong everywhere.
- 🇧🇷BrazilReliable.
- 🇦🇪United Arab EmiratesExcellent.
- 🇨🇦CanadaSolid for transit in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal.
- 🇨🇭SwitzerlandStrong everywhere.
- 🇵🇹PortugalStrong transit data for Lisbon and Porto.
- 🇬🇷GreeceSolid for Athens metro and walking.
- 🇸🇪SwedenStrong, especially for transit.
- 🇳🇴NorwaySolid for transit and fjord-side routes.
- 🇩🇰DenmarkStrong cycling and transit routes.
- 🇫🇮FinlandExcellent for Helsinki transit.
- 🇮🇪IrelandStrong for Dublin bus and Luas.
- 🇹🇷TurkeyStrong for Istanbul transit.
- 🇪🇬EgyptSolid for Cairo.
- 🇿🇦South AfricaReliable.
- 🇲🇦MoroccoSolid for major cities, less so for medinas.
- 🇸🇦Saudi ArabiaSolid for major cities.
- 🇮🇱IsraelBackup.
- 🇵🇱PolandStrong transit data.
- 🇨🇿Czech RepublicStrong for Prague transit.
- 🇦🇷ArgentinaSolid for Buenos Aires.
- 🇵🇪PeruSolid.
- 🇨🇴ColombiaStrong.
- 🇲🇾MalaysiaStrong for KL transit.
- 🇳🇿New ZealandExcellent — also offline maps for road trips.
- 🇦🇹AustriaExcellent transit data.
- 🇧🇪BelgiumStrong for trains and metro.
- 🇭🇺HungaryStrong for Budapest transit.
- 🇭🇷CroatiaStrong, especially for ferry routing.
- 🇷🇴RomaniaStrong.
- 🇮🇸IcelandEssential for the Ring Road — offline maps too.
- 🇰🇭CambodiaSolid.
- 🇱🇰Sri LankaSolid.
- 🇳🇵NepalStrong for cities; offline maps for treks.
- 🇵🇰PakistanSolid for major cities.
- 🇧🇩BangladeshSolid.
- 🇶🇦QatarStrong.
- 🇰🇼KuwaitStrong.
- 🇴🇲OmanStrong for cities; offline for the desert.
- 🇯🇴JordanStrong.
- 🇰🇪KenyaStrong for cities.
- 🇹🇿TanzaniaOffline maps recommended for safari.
- 🇨🇱ChileReliable for walking, driving and Santiago transit.
- 🇨🇷Costa RicaStrong for cities; offline for jungle drives.
- 🇵🇦PanamaStrong.
- 🇩🇴Dominican RepublicStrong.
- 🇬🇪GeorgiaStrong for Tbilisi.
- 🇲🇻MaldivesFor Malé airport and seaplane terminals.
- 🇫🇯FijiFine on Viti Levu around Nadi/Suva, but download the offline map — coverage drops fast outside towns.
- 🇲🇺MauritiusSolid for driving the island; download offline maps for the interior and coastal back-roads.
- 🇹🇳TunisiaReliable for driving and walking the medinas; download offline maps for desert and southern routes.
- 🇨🇾CyprusReliable for driving and walking; download offline maps in case you cross toward the north.
- 🇲🇹MaltaBest for the bus network (Malta's main public transport, alongside the harbour and Gozo ferries) and walking Valletta's grid.
- 🇱🇺LuxembourgCovers the free buses, trams and CFL trains; great for cross-border hops to nearby Trier or Metz.
- 🇪🇪EstoniaReliable for walking, driving and Tallinn tram/bus routing; download an offline map of Estonia before heading to the islands or national parks.
- 🇱🇹LithuaniaSolid for walking and driving plus Vilnius bus and trolleybus routing; download an offline map before road trips to the Curonian Spit.
- 🇸🇮SloveniaGreat for walking, driving and Ljubljana bus routing; download offline maps before driving the Alps or Triglav National Park where signal drops.
- 🇧🇬BulgariaReliable for driving, walking, and Sofia tram/bus/metro routing — download an offline map of the country.
- 🇷🇸SerbiaSolid for driving and walking; Belgrade bus/tram routing is decent — save an offline map of Serbia.
- 🇪🇨EcuadorGood for driving and walking; download offline maps before heading to the Andes or Amazon where signal drops.
- 🇺🇾UruguayAccurate for driving, walking and Montevideo's bus network; download offline maps for the coast.
- 🇬🇹GuatemalaBest for driving and walking; download offline maps before heading to Atitlán or Flores.
- 🇯🇲JamaicaReliable for driving and walking; download offline maps for rural parishes and the north coast.
- 🇱🇦LaosDecent for main roads and towns; download offline maps before heading into rural areas where signal drops.
- 🇧🇭BahrainAccurate for driving and the limited bus network; addresses work well here.
- 🇬🇭GhanaWorks for main roads and landmarks; many addresses are informal, so share a pin or use GhanaPost GPS codes.
Google Maps — frequently asked
Does Google Maps work offline?
Yes, but for driving only: downloaded areas give offline turn-by-turn driving directions, while walking, cycling, and transit routes require data.
Why doesn't Google Maps work well in China?
Mainland China restricts Google services and uses a different mapping system, so positioning and routing are unreliable; local apps work better there.
How do I avoid roaming charges while navigating?
Download offline maps over Wi-Fi before you travel; driving navigation then works without mobile data, but walking and transit directions don't.
Last reviewed in September 2026. Pack My Apps is independent — Google Mapsdidn't pay to be listed and the download links aren't affiliate links. Features, fees and country coverage change, so confirm anything your trip depends on in the app itself. Report an error.