Travel Distances

Maps were not made just to show the way, but also to appreciate distances, and the technologies we now have available allow us to calculate distances in miles, nautical and air miles or kilometers. The calculation of travel distances both on the highway and in cities remain essential for trip or vacation planning, thus you know how to appreciate the fuel costs as well as the the need for hotel reservations in case the journey extends on two or more days. The Internet is the most comprehensive resource for travel distances and calculators even if AAA and Rand McNally still remain the largest map companies in the United States with very good presences online too. Moreover, the competition is made tighter with the services offered by Google Maps and MapQuest.

Google applications are really great for calculating travel distances, and it seems like they've kept their promise to dominate the web with the free services they offer to all searchers. For access to the Google Maps page you need to have a regular free Google account; after the entrance of the points of origin and destination, the distance measurement tools will give you accurate and highly comprehensive data. Thus, other than the travel distances you can also click other links in the menu that include gas prices, weather forecast and nice sights to visit.

Program analysts point out that so far Google has come up with the most user-friendly type of program for the calculation of travel distances. The positive reviews come from to the fast way of accessing the information: you just write the place of origin, the destination point and press go. You will be provided not only with a map and the travel distances, but indications for how to move around are available too. For the moment, MapQuest is preparing the launch of a more comprehensive program that would compete with the giant Google on an equal foot; this will most certainly imply an adaptation of the tools to be more user friendly.

The meaning of short and long travel distances has been altered with the existence of alternative transportation means. The travel distances between LA and NY appear shorter by plane but longer by train or car. In fact, the mobile element in the equation is not distance as such, but our perception of it in terms of time. People often tend to say: how long does it take to get to location X and not how far is location X? Costs, on the other hand are other ways of considering travel distances: gas, food, lodging, they all have to be covered out of the personal pocket. Hence, make sure to calculate the travel distances well and include them in the overall planning for your trip.