Apple Maps Cycling Directions Expand to Austria, Belgium, and Sweden

[MacRumors]

Apple Maps has expanded the availability of cycling routes in Europe by adding support for the countries of Austria, Belgium, and Sweden.

Apple first added cycling directions to Apple Maps in iOS 14, providing specific directions for bike riders with bike lanes, bike paths, and bike-friendly routes that highlight steep inclines, stairs, and other obstacles.

Elsewhere in Europe, Apple Maps currently provides cycling routes across France and Germany, as well as in Barcelona, Spain, and London, England. Coverage is more widespread in other parts of the world, such as mainland China, Japan, the United States, and select cities in Canada.

Apple maintains a list of all of the areas where cycling directions are available on its website, but Belgium, Austria, and Sweden have yet to be added.

(Thanks sebi506 and sensei90 for Austria and Sweden!)

Article Link: Apple Maps Cycling Directions Expand to Austria, Belgium, and Sweden

 

[Coizu]

How good are the cycling directions in other countries? My experience here in Germany is pretty disappointing. It always routes me on super busy streets even when there are better routes on bike lanes available.

 

[Godspeed8230]

Apple Maps Cycling Directions are available in Vienna/Austria but this city is not on Apple's list.

 

[GroningenNL]

I thing the Netherlands is to hard to implement, to many bicycleroads and directions.

 

[Godspeed8230]

How good are the cycling directions in other countries? My experience here in Germany is pretty disappointing. It always routes me on super busy streets even when there are better routes on bike lanes available.

You might want to try beeline (the app is free and you don't need the device they sell). It is a great app with the possibility to rate your road.
This in turn leads to fast, balanced and quiet routes - it is an amazing feature.

 

[GeorgeBatzanos]

Apple Maps Cycling Directions are available in Vienna/Austria but this city is not on Apple's list.

Same for Athens, Greece

 

[KRBM]

Netherlands, the biggest bike country in the world, is going to be the only EU country without bike directions in Apple Maps. This seems like Musk-level decision making from Apple.

That said, I’m glad that Belgium’s at last got it.

 

[truthsteve]

Musk-level decision

lol why does musk have to be brought up in every transport thread that has nothing to do with musk

 

[sensei90]

Stockholm is not on the list but it got added about a month ago or so

 

[sebi506]

Cycling directions have also been available in Austria for a few days, with a notification officially announcing them on I believe saturday!

 

[KRBM]

lol why does musk have to be brought up in every transport thread that has nothing to do with musk

I’m using “Musk-level decision making” as a shorthand for “decision making that’s impossible to follow considering what’s sensible and what’s profitable”. If there’s a better shorthand for that, let me know.

 

[originalsk]

Netherlands, the biggest bike country in the world, is going to be the only EU country without bike directions in Apple Maps. This seems like Musk-level decision making from Apple.

That said, I’m glad that Belgium’s at last got it.

"is going to be the only EU country without bike directions in Apple Maps" you know there are more EU countries, do you My country is also not supported yet, but I agree that Netherlands and Denmark as leading countries in cycling should be 100% top priority. Another example how Apple has infinite resources and still fails hard to deliver features outside of US.

 

[Anaxarxes]

Netherlands, the biggest bike country in the world, is going to be the only EU country without bike directions in Apple Maps. This seems like Musk-level decision making from Apple.

That said, I’m glad that Belgium’s at last got it.

That's actually survivorship bias.

Netherlands has the largest cycling network and thus needs most time and resources to map and validate the cycling directions.

Germany, Austria, Belgium do not have dedicated roads, nor have a complex cycling network --> easier to implement.

We'll get them but we'll be the last.

 

[sunapple]

I thing the Netherlands is to hard to implement, to many bicycleroads and directions.

Google Maps has it, though I’m not sure how accurate it is. I would say though that walking directions in Apple Maps can also lack accuracy so that doesn’t seem to be their biggest concern. Cycling as a mode of transport is just low on their priority list and features are slow to roll out.

 

[maszaikasza]

The pace at which changes are introduced in Apple Maps outside of U.S. is impressive.

 

[Col4bin]

Amazing. (My cousins live outside Antwerp. Will be so excited.)

 

[manofthematch]

How good are the cycling directions in other countries? My experience here in Germany is pretty disappointing. It always routes me on super busy streets even when there are better routes on bike lanes available.

Same experience here. Similar with Google Maps.

Komoot is much better. You even can plan a route on the web oder app, transfer it to a Garmin Edge and use this for navigation on the road. Navigating with the iPhone or Watch is not optimal while cycling anyway.

 

[truthsteve]

I’m using “Musk-level decision making” as a shorthand for “decision making that’s impossible to follow considering what’s sensible and what’s profitable”. If there’s a better shorthand for that, let me know.

half the people wouldn't attribute that shorthand to that meaning. pointless abbreviation imo

 

[Strebor]

Netherlands, the biggest bike country in the world, is going to be the only EU country without bike directions in Apple Maps. This seems like Musk-level decision making from Apple.

That said, I’m glad that Belgium’s at last got it.

Exactly my thoughts. If Apple wanted to really showcase cycle routes, there is no better country to pilot with than the Netherlands. I can't wait for it to arrive here in the Netherlands. Simply set a bike route on iPhone, and then get instructions on Watch. Bring it on Apple!

 

[Isengardtom]

That's actually survivorship bias.

Netherlands has the largest cycling network and thus needs most time and resources to map and validate the cycling directions.

Germany, Austria, Belgium do not have dedicated roads, nor have a complex cycling network --> easier to implement.

We'll get them but we'll be the last.

Not entirely true - Belgium (or at least the Flemish are) has built a lot of infrastructure in the last 10 years or so.
There’s a network of bike highways totalling 2700 km

And the city of Antwerp has built a lot of dedicated bike lanes in the last 10 years

 

[N82]

Come on Apple, release this for the Netherlands too. I know it's a small country, but we have a lot to offer!

 

[JippaLippa]

I'm not a power map user, therefore I'm very satisfied with apple maps.
It's simple, but it does the trick, and the map issues of 2012 are long gone; I even prefer Apple version of street view.
Might not be as feature rich as google maps, but I really never needed anything beyond.
I try using as many stock apple apps as possible.

 

[hardwickj]

How good are the cycling directions in other countries? My experience here in Germany is pretty disappointing. It always routes me on super busy streets even when there are better routes on bike lanes available.

American cyclist here. While Apple Maps directions aren't technically wrong...they are still really poor for cyclists when compared to Google Maps. Here's an obvious example, where Google Maps understands what is a very popular path for bicyclists that goes along the Mississippi River here in Minneapolis. It's hands down the safest and most scenic way to get to this destination. Apple Maps follows that same bike path for a short distance, than inexplicably detours off of it for a bike lane that is longer, more dangerous, and far less scenic. My best guess is that they are only aware of bike paths that are directly adjacent to, or shared with, roads.

 

[Anaxarxes]

Not entirely true - Belgium (or at least the Flemish are) has built a lot of infrastructure in the last 10 years or so.
There’s a network of bike highways totalling 2700 km

And the city of Antwerp has built a lot of dedicated bike lanes in the last 10 years
View attachment 2358294

That's cute.

 

[ikir]

Tack så mycket