Is Google Maps now good enough for a Euro Road Trip or...

[SwipeRight]

...should I be relying upon my Tom Tom which has never let me down before?

I have a route with overnight stops all booked so will simply need to navigate between these towns throughout western europe. I use Google Maps for all my UK driving now but am concerned about relying on it for the whole of europe.

Thanks for any advice.

[Big E 118]

Google Maps works fine, download the areas you want as offline maps then no issues with routes when signal drops out occasionally. data is then only used for live traffic.

Just downloading mine for next weeks road trip around Utah's National Parks!

Another tip is use the free Tom Tom Speed Cameras app (Android only) to layer speed limits and camera alerts over Google Maps. *Edit to add this is illegal to use in certain countries in EU* if they catch you....

[coldel]

Also used google maps with them downloaded - chaps in the other cars were using Waze as well.

[Baldchap]

Put it this way: Most high end new car sat navs now use live Google Maps.

[slk 32]

why not just use waze?
certainly better for live speedtraps etc

[feef]

slk 32 said:

why not just use waze?
certainly better for live speedtraps etc

Waze requires a data connection. Google Maps allows offline download of the relevant map data.

(incidentally, Waze is owned by Google as of 2013)

[irc]

My rented sat nav failed to turn up for a 2017 USA road trip. Bought phone holder and used Google maps with maps downloaded. No problems. I'll never bother with a sat nav for USA again.

Even in the UK I find Google maps often sorts it when an address I'm looking for isn't on my sat nav or the locatio isn't accurate.

[DanStirl]

Best thing I've used is an app called Waze.
Along with the standard camera locations and speed limits it crowdsources information like location of mobile police cameras, traffic jams and accidents.
I'll use it every day when commuting in the UK just so I don't get caught out.

[Superchickenn]

Me and a few buddies used it last year.. went through 5 European countries and worked flawlessly on google maps

[Maracus]

I've used Waze alongside the in car Navs over the past few Eurotrips, mainly for the speed camera alerts and better traffic re-routing.

[MRichards99]

feef said:

slk 32 said:

why not just use waze?
certainly better for live speedtraps etc

Waze requires a data connection. Google Maps allows offline download of the relevant map data.

(incidentally, Waze is owned by Google as of 2013)

Google Maps used with an app like TomTom speed cameras could work well - offline maps with speed camera/red light camera alerts. Only used the TomTom app in the UK, perhaps someone could comment on it's effectiveness in Europe?

[Shaoxter]

feef said:

slk 32 said:

why not just use waze?
certainly better for live speedtraps etc

Waze requires a data connection. Google Maps allows offline download of the relevant map data.

(incidentally, Waze is owned by Google as of 2013)

EU roaming is free.... for now.
Used Waze for an Alps trip, had signal everywhere so it worked fine.

[Heartworm]

Google own waze and speed traps are shown on Google maps now anyway in the same crowd sourced manner,

[MikeDrop]

Perfectly fine. Recently did a tour to Amsterdam, to the Nurburgring and through Belgium and it was perfect.

[SwipeRight]

Well this is all encouraging - looks like I just saved myself over £150 on a basic euro SatNav simply by asking here!

Thanks guys!

[coldel]

I used Google to get through France, Switzerland, then around Italy and back again. All downloaded in advance. Note that Waze doesn't work in Switzerland as camera locations on maps are banned there.

But yes, sat navs are dead tech really, no need to buy one.

[feef]

Shaoxter said:

EU roaming is free.... for now.
Used Waze for an Alps trip, had signal everywhere so it worked fine.

Not everyone has sufficient data tho, roaming charges or not

[SouthHamsGaz]

Google is ok, but not as good as a Tomtom with live traffic in my experience.

Had both running before on our Euro trips, google tried to have us join the back of stopped traffic on a M-way, while the Tomtom directed us off and through some lovely empty winding roads, which worked out faster and way more pleasurable.

[slk 32]

Shaoxter said:

feef said:

slk 32 said:

why not just use waze?
certainly better for live speedtraps etc

Waze requires a data connection. Google Maps allows offline download of the relevant map data.

(incidentally, Waze is owned by Google as of 2013)

EU roaming is free.... for now.
Used Waze for an Alps trip, had signal everywhere so it worked fine.

Indeed.

I used Waze for London to Northerm Italy. The only problem was the server would time out when planning the route on my phone (I guess too many variables) so had to go London - Cologne, Cologne Villach etc

[PF62]

slk 32 said:

why not just use waze?
certainly better for live speedtraps etc

Or just use both Waze and Google Maps at the same time split screen - that's what I do (Google Maps is better than Waze for giving directions at complex junctions).