GPS navigation Voyage Tips and guide

Satellite navigation, or using GPS, is finding your position with the help of a device that can receive signals from navigational satellites. The devices integrate with maps to show you where you are and calculate a route to your destination. You probably already use it at home, but when traveling it can help you stay on the well-beaten path, as well as help you comfortably stray from it! It is often straightforward and easy, but there are some major pitfalls, so take time to understand your device and be prepared when it does not give you correct coordinates.

We use the term "GPS" here, as the U.S.-based Global Positioning System was the first publicly available satellite network. Some devices use other satellite networks: China's BeiDou, Russia's GLONASS, or the EU's Galileo. The differences should not affect a casual user's experience

GPS navigation can easily become your most useful tool when traveling. It can give you live directions while driving, hitchhiking, cycling, hiking, walking or catching public transport. It can allow you to get hopelessly lost in the medina of Marrakesh, and then allow you to wander out when you feel like it. Or tell you the name of the small church you are cycling past on the Rallarvegen. You can load up your daily sightseeing route with points of interest, and make sure you keep to your schedule. It can give you confidence to explore!

All smartphones (and even some feature phones) offer GPS. Many cars also include built-in navigation, and there are standalone devices designed for specific uses such as driving, hiking, or boating.

GPS devices with cellular or internet connectivity can determine their position in as little as a few seconds of being turned on, using nearby cell towers or Wi-Fi networks to obtain a rough position and download data about the satellite network. Standalone devices must download all the required data from the satellites; if it's been more than a few hours since the device was last used, this can take up to 30 seconds – or potentially much longer if conditions are poor, such as not having good view of the sky or moving rapidly.

GPS uses the coordinate system WGS84. There are other systems in use. ETRS89, used in much of Europe, follows the European continental plates instead of global averages; it is still close enough for navigation purposes (the difference is less than a metre). In some countries, one needs to be especially careful, e.g. the coordinates used on Chinese maps differ significantly from WGS84. Also, sometimes Cartesian coordinates are used instead of the angle-based ones of the GPS.

Using your smartphone can be the easiest and most convenient way to navigate away from home. It can save money over buying a standalone GPS device and new maps for it, or renting one from a car rental company.

Many smartphone apps can give an approximate location using known locations of Wi-Fi signals when they cannot get satellite data. However, if you don't have a data connection for your phone, or when it is out of range, their performance can be limited or their maps unavailable. If your app can't give you directions, that's usually what's wrong.

Some apps allow you to download maps before your trip and then use them while offline, without a data connection. This avoids the need to stay in signal range or to consume data while moving, which is nice when you're visiting remote areas, or when your international phone plan is expensive, slow or finicky. You need to have enough storage capacity in your phone.

Mainland China and South Korea have national security laws requiring navigation to be provided only by local apps, instead of the apps listed here. In China, the most common navigation apps are Baidu Maps and Amap, while South Korea uses Naver Map and Kakao Map. The restrictions for mainland China do not apply to the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau.

In addition, while Russia does not ban western GPS navigation apps, they may not be up to date due to western sanctions. Instead, Russians use Yandex Maps for their navigation needs.

OpenStreetMap (OSM) is a freely-licensed map database maintained by a community of volunteers. Its active community and generous licensing terms make it a popular platform for navigation apps that aren't aligned with the giant technology companies. It's what powers the built-in maps on the Wikivoyage website.

The level of detail varies by region, but is quite good for much of the populated world. It even works reasonably well in mainland China. For tracks and trails it is unrivaled in most parts of the world.

OsmAnd is an open source app for maps and navigation. OsmAnd focuses on fully-functional offline capabilities for navigating by car, bicycle, and foot. There is also support for public transit, nautical, and ski navigation.

While its car navigation can barely compete with Google Maps (most notably, it lacks traffic information), it out-competes more popular apps by far on the non-car navigation side. Offline functionality, GPX import and export, and (optional) use of elevation information are particularly handy for hiking and biking trips.

OsmAnd allows you to switch between configurable Profiles. There are built-in profiles with an emphasis on offroad, touring, bus/tram/subway/train routes, hiking trails, MTB/cycling routes, ski slopes and horse treks. It also offers a wide selection of arbitrary overlay/underlay maps (Bing Earth, Yandex Satellite, Openstreetmap Traces, Google Maps Traffic, Google Maps, various Cycle Maps, and even self-made SQLite maps).

The main purpose of this app is to work without access to the Internet. All maps are stored locally on your device. That means that they have to be downloaded before using the app. Some countries or regions have maps which are quite large, like 1GB and more, and hillshades and elevation line maps require additional space. So, don't just download maps randomly, but get the ones you actually need. Maps are generally updated monthly.

The easiest way to install OsmAnd is by using Google Play or the iOS App Store. This might not be the best choice, though, depending on what functionality you require and whether you are willing to pay.

• The basic version of OsmAnd (Start) is available free of charge. It is limited to 7 in-app map downloads — after that, new maps and updates need to be downloaded manually.
• The paid version OsmAnd Plus (Maps+) can download unlimited maps and updates.
• Users of Android phones can also get the fully featured and free-of-charge OsmAnd~ from the alternative F-Droid app store.
• Active OpenStreetMap mappers and editors logged in through the OpenStreetMap editing plugin can receive unlimited map downloads even on the basic version.
• As OsmAnd is free/libre open source software, technically savvy users can build the full version of the app from source.
• The OsmAnd Pro subscription service offers hourly map updates for a monthly fee (50% of which is used to directly support OpenStreetMap).

OsmAnd+/~ integrates with Wikivoyage and Wikipedia, allowing you to download offline articles related to points of interest, and load Wikivoyage listings into your map.

Mapy.cz is another popular app and similar to OsmAnd, but not open source. It has been around for almost the same amount of time and found an equally enthusiastic base of users and supporters.

In case OsmAnd does not cover your needs or is too challenging, try this app. They also have Android and iOS version: Mapy.cz

Organic Maps is a newcomer as of 2023, created by the original developer team of Maps.Me. Functionality and map details are limited, but it is an easy app to navigate with based on OpenStreetMap information.

Supports GPS, navigation by car and on foot, and limited OpenStreetMap editing. But in remote regions and outdoor action, this app should probably not be leveraged.

Maps.Me is not actively maintained, but still works. And since the downloadable maps originate from OpenStreetMap, the non-maintenance should not pose a problem for the reliability of the app.

Application with maps from OSM. For iPhone only, with limited country support. Basic maps are free (ad-supported), with in-app purchases for turn-by-turn navigation and other features.

Google Maps is the global behemoth of proprietary maps applications. It has maps of just about everywhere you would like to drive and where people regularly go, provides turn-by-turn directions, and allows you to download offline maps for areas in advance. It continues along a planned route even when it loses data signal.

When the application is offline, the search results of places and turn-by-turn navigation are limited. In offline mode, Google Maps voice directions for turn-by-turn navigation are reduced to simple instructions like "turn left" or "turn right". It is unable to describe more complex turns and it does not store the phonetic data needed to read street names or destination names out loud. This forces you to frequently glance down to read such information.

The more information you can pull into the app before leaving (with an internet connection) the better. If you have a basic smartphone, or are running out of storage, you can use the Android app Google Maps Go. This runs online on the Chrome web browser and creates an icon. A second app is needed for navigation: Navigation for Google Maps Go, and the latter does not create an icon.

Google Maps focuses on navigation in populated areas, navigation by car and searching for businesses and major points of interests. This covers "most" everyday scenarios for its typical users, but has some gaps. Its coverage of walking and hiking trails is poor, and its transit and walking directions are a mixed bag.

Do not rely on Google Maps for remote and offline navigation. People have attempted to reach canyons and summits with Google Maps telling them to follow a straight line right to their destination. This is highly dangerous in unknown and remote places and should never be attempted! In offline mode, it cannot give walking directions, and its driving directions are a poor substitute in urban areas with extensive networks of one-way streets, unable to recognize that a pedestrian would be able to take a more direct route.

Waze is the world's largest crowdsource navigation system, and completely free (ad-supported during stops). It's available on the Google Play and iOS App Store. While it is a bit weaker in data relating to traffic congestion and accurate maps than Google, Waze is well known for giving warnings for road hazards and police activity. It also gives updated fuel prices for gasoline/petrol and diesel. Interestingly, Waze is owned by Google, but kept as a separate operation. However, Waze map editors can now use Google's satellite maps for better accuracy. Waze maps tend to emphasize the road itself, rather than the periphery. Not recommended for offline use while driving, though brief "dead spots" aren't usually a problem. Initial Wi-Fi route setup can eliminate much of cellular data usage.

Apple's proprietary mapping solution comes pre-installed on every Apple device with a screen. Widely panned by users for its inaccurate data when released in 2012, several updates have since improved its accuracy, and the service now matches Google's quality in many regions of the developed world.

Downloadable offline maps are available as of iOS 17 in 2023. Offline search and directions were originally buggy but are functional as of iOS 26 in 2025.

Apple allows users to adjust the proportions and size of the box used to designate the offline map to be downloaded by the Maps app. Even the smallest boxes can easily capture offline maps over a hundred megabytes in size. The app attempts to store enough data to include every known point of interest in the designated offline map (including contact information and known business hours), while also supporting detailed offline directions for driving, walking, public transportation (based on official schedules), and bicycling. The app also stores enough phonetic data to accurately pronounce street and destination names while giving detailed turn-by-turn voice directions.

Apple Maps is not perfect. First, its data in many regions of the world is lagging two to three years behind current conditions. This is especially problematic when searching for restaurants, which come and go rapidly. Second, its directions are not always accurate. In offline mode, Apple is like an early 2000s online mapping service (MapQuest or Yahoo! Maps) that seems to be identifying the most "direct" route from a pure geometric perspective, rather than the fastest route when all variables are considered. It will sometimes tell you to get off the freeway too early (compared to where a human familiar with the area would exit), because in offline mode it is unable to access real-time traffic data incorporating actual delays from sitting through too many traffic lights.

One country map can be downloaded for free and used with restricted functions. Additional maps can be purchased after an upgrade to voice turn by turn navigation for US$25.

Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Balkans, BeNeLux, Russia, Central Eastern Europe, DACH, France, Greece, Iberia, Italy, Nordics, Poland, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia and Botswana. Middle East Maps (Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE).

Many cars include built-in navigation. Cars built with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay can display your phone's navigation apps on their screen - Google Maps and Apple Maps of course, but also many third-party apps.

If your car does not have a built-in system (or it's incompatible with your phone), you can mount a head unit on your dash to replicate most of its functionality, or even mount your phone to the dash.

Smartphone apps cover the needs of most travellers, but there are several reasons why they may not be the best navigation device for you: small screen size, short battery life, overheating, piecemeal map coverage, lack of water resistance, no Wi-Fi or cellular data in remote locations, and risk of theft.

A standalone device has county-wide map coverage, and can have better controls and screen brightness adjustment. Also, hand-held units can be waterproof, and run from standard batteries. Should you lose it, you don't also lose your photos and other critical phone information. And in most cases, you can still call for help and check your location on the smartphone when the navigation device runs out of power or fails in other ways.

Most are made by Garmin, Magellan, and TomTom. They are still frequently used for some outdoors activities, such as sailing, mountaineering, and long-distance hiking.

The basic way to use a GPS is this: wait for it to find your current location, set your destination, then start moving. GPS will update your location as you move, determining your next turn until you get to your destination.

Some devices will show you multiple routes. Most of the time you probably want the "fastest route" or the "shortest route", but if you want to enjoy the landscape, you instead might want to avoid the fastest route.

There may be other options or possibilities to finetune. Sometimes unpaved roads are not shown by default. Sometimes you want to avoid toll roads.

The destination it wants to take you might not be the destination you intended. A common example is typing in the name of a large city: you enter "Philadelphia", so your GPS picks an arbitrary point in the city. It may even take you down side streets and obscure alleys to get you to the specific address it arbitrarily picked for you.

Consider using a computer or tablet with a larger screen for route planning. You can get a wider view than a screen on phone or small GPS. Then you can transfer the route to your smaller device once your planning is done. On a boat you may want to use that larger screen also for actual navigation (check that the devices can communicate: there are different connectors and protocols). It is still hardly ever as large as a paper chart, and zooming out can hide important features.

GPS needs line-of-sight to a good portion of the sky to work effectively, as your device needs information from at least two (ideally three or more) satellites to calculate your location, and the satellites are spread out across the horizon. Enclosed areas, narrow streets, and steep terrain that blocks the sky can make GPS less reliable, as the device can see fewer (or no) satellites. Clouds and bad weather are not an issue, but buildings and vegetation can be; your device may mislead you if signals are blocked or reflected by skyscrapers or tree canopies.

Moving near, but not on, a road can confuse your GPS. If the device is running a program for driving, it assumes you're on the road (especially Waze), and adjusts the "location cursor" accordingly. Use devices with a walking mode to avoid this.

When you enter a different time zone, most navigation systems will detect that and display all times accordingly. However, while setting up a route to a destination located in a different time zone, your estimated time of arrival (ETA) will typically still be displayed according to your current time zone.

Example: You're driving east from Chicago (Central Standard Time, CST, UTC-6) to Detroit (Eastern Standard Time, EST, UTC-5), and you must be there by 3 PM EST. If your ETA during setup in Chicago is anything beyond 2 PM CST, you will be late. Some systems will warn you about this. Some systems will allow you to specify a desired time of arrival according to the destination time zone and then do the math for you.

China uses its own coordinate system, which is deliberately obfuscated and different from the international standard, apparently for national security reasons. This means that various foreign GPS navigation programs have problems in China, with locations displayed about 100–700 m from where they should be. Wikivoyage's practice is to use standard (WGS84) latitude and longitude coordinates in all articles, including articles about China, which means that our coordinates should display correctly on OpenStreetMap and other mapping programs that use WGS84, but may display incorrectly on Chinese mapping apps. However, some Wikivoyage articles mistakenly use some Chinese (GCJ) coordinates, which will display incorrectly on Wikivoyage maps and other OpenStreetMap-based maps. The Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau use WGS84 coordinates, but some mapping apps may still have problems near the border with mainland China.

The result of all of this for travellers is you should be careful when using GPS navigation in China, including Hong Kong and Macau—be on the lookout for offsets of 100–700 m, especially when doing anything that involves interaction between Chinese and foreign data or software. For more details see the Wikipedia article Restrictions on geographic data in China.

The provider of the satellites can lower the accuracy of your device at will and anyone with a suitable sender can jam the signal. More advanced attackers can jam the weak satellite signals and send stronger fake GPS signals to make the device believe it is somewhere else. Incidents do happen quite often: it is explicitly stated in certain military doctrines, it happens at high level meetings of politicians, and it seemingly happens also just to cause trouble or to make a political point. This is especially relevant for travellers in times of conflict or around conflict regions. Finland has had to change their airport approach practices because of recurring jamming events, there are general recommendations for aviators to update their procedures and equipment, and boaters on the Baltic Sea have been warned. The issue also affects e.g. hiking near the border between Georgia and Russia – and any navigation near war zones.

When GPS fails (your device loses signal, or the signal gets too inaccurate, or your device dies), you need traditional navigation techniques and a reliable offline map. If you use an autopilot, your car's GPS or other automated systems, you need to be prepared, as they may continue to choose directions with little connection to reality. In the case of jams, you may not notice until too late – and if your course in an archipelago is adjusted according to a spoofed position, you will quickly run aground. Systems should get updated to partly compensate for these problems, but there is no way to make them immune. A traditional compass and a flashlight may be a good investment if you plan on traveling far away from infrastructure.

Use a device designed for your intended use. A device used by the driver should allow him or her to concentrate on the driving. A device used outdoors should be rain and moisture resistant. The controls should be usable also in the field and the display bright enough in sunshine and dim enough in the night.

If you're driving:

• River crossings, mountain passes and poor road surfaces aren't always taken into account by all navigation software.
• The suggested route might take you through unsafe areas (for example the shortest from Cape Town Airport to Cape Town City Centre take you through the shanty towns in the Cape Flats). Do a sanity check to make sure you're taking the main road.
• Pay attention to the road. If you're carrying bikes on the roof, don't drive under a low bridge just because a car GPS says this is a fine route.

If you're backcountry hiking:

• Check the veracity of the route before you go with a known reliable source. Open mapping data is often done by armchair mappers from aerial imagery – mapped trails may lead into fences, steep country, and cliffs that aren't visible from this imagery. Some navigation or orienteering skill and some experience with the device will be needed to identify and handle these situations.
• The device can fail, and (you know Murphy's law, don't you!) it may fail at the worse possible moment. Satellite navigation uses quite a lot of power. Carry a spare battery. Remember that batteries are consumed quickly in the cold. For longer voyages a solar power charger may be an option, but whether its capacity suffices (also in cloudy weather and other less-than-ideal circumstances) and it keeps working is an open question.
• If you're in England, France, or Spain, don't forget to double check east (+) and west (-) longitude coordinates, as these countries have both.

If you're on a boat:

• Use devices specifically designed for marine use. The underlying satellite signal is the same, but a marine GPS stores nautical charts (usually purchased separately) instead of highway maps. If you take this on the autobahn, it'll display valid coordinates but tell you that you've run aground. With a non-marine device, your maps may not include all essential details, or marine information may be outdated. Also, some devices may put the marker on a nearby road on the assumption that the location in the water must be due to signal problems. To see the smallest rocks you may have to zoom in so much that you don't get any overview.
• In low visibility conditions, remember that boats, swimmers, birds and that half-submerged log are not on your map. If you sail in the night and the person navigating is simultaneously lookout, make sure the brightness can be adjusted to dim enough (which is much dimmer than you could imagine in the day).

In or near conflict zones or elsewhere, such as in the Baltic Sea, the signal may be interfered with (by any party), to confuse drones and missiles or just to cause disturbance. At sea, if near shallows, you may need to be alert to immediately switch to manual navigation. More local interference may be caused by those who try to illegally mislead trackers in vehicles or on tags worn by offenders.

It is not possible for someone else to track your position using GPS (or GNSS) alone. Transmissions only go in one direction: the satellites transmit a time signature and your receiver uses that to calculate your position – that's it. Thus, an old-fashioned hand-held GPS device without mobile network connectivity is not a concern for your privacy.

Things change dramatically, though, when using navigation on your mobile phone. The navigation app has access to your location, and may record your location history or share it with other entities. This is more-likely-than-not the business model behind your "free" app. While phones allow you to limit which apps have access to your location information, removing this permission from your map app makes it much less useful. If you are concerned about privacy, you should choose navigation apps carefully and check your phone's settings to limit what other apps get location access.

• Driving
• Navigation
• Geocaching