Route Planning
Plan routes with waypoints and multiple transport modes
Route Planning
Route planning in A Grand Tour allows you to build detailed, multi-modal routes for your overland expeditions. Each trip has a route built from waypoints and route segments that connect them, giving you complete control over how you travel from point to point.
Understanding Routes
A route consists of:
- Waypoints: The stops along your journey (cities, landmarks, border crossings, etc.)
- Route Segments: The paths between consecutive waypoints, each with its own transport mode and routing style
The route is calculated in the background, so you can continue working while the system generates the optimal path based on your preferences.
Adding Waypoints
To add waypoints to your route:
- Open an itinerary item for editing
- Click "Add waypoint"
- Choose from existing dataset items (POIs, cities, landmarks) or type a custom name
- The waypoint is added to your route in order
Waypoints can reference items from your datasets. If a referenced item is later removed from the dataset, the waypoint will show as "unlinked" but will keep its geographic position so your route remains intact.
Route Segment Types
Between each pair of consecutive waypoints, you can choose how the route should be calculated:
Auto-Drive
Uses road routing via Mapbox to calculate the best driving route on paved roads. This is the default for most overland travel and takes into account current road networks, traffic patterns, and typical driving conditions.
Auto-Offroad
Currently routes identically to Auto-Drive. The routing provider has no profile that prefers unpaved surfaces — it can be told to avoid them, which is the opposite — so choosing this does not yet find you dirt roads and gravel tracks. It is kept as a distinct type because segments remember which one you chose, so routes marked Auto-Offroad will improve when the routing behind it does, without you having to redraw anything.
For a track that genuinely leaves the road network, use Hand-Drawn or Click-Points below and put the line where you want it.
Auto-Cycle
Calculates bicycle-friendly routes, preferring bike lanes, low-traffic roads, and dedicated cycling paths.
Auto-Walk
Generates walking and hiking routes, including footpaths, trails, and pedestrian-only areas.
Direct Line
Draws a straight line between waypoints. Useful for ferry crossings, shipping routes, or flight segments where you're not following roads.
Hand-Drawn
Allows you to draw your own custom path on the map. Perfect for when you know a specific route that automated routing might miss.
Click-Points
Lets you click a series of points on the map to define the route manually. The system connects your clicks with straight lines, giving you precise control.
Route Information
For each segment, the system displays:
- Distance: Total distance in kilometers
- Duration: Estimated travel time in hours
- Route Type: The segment type you selected
These metrics help you plan daily driving distances and estimate trip duration.
Reordering Waypoints
You can reorder waypoints at any time using drag and drop. When you reorder waypoints, the route segments are automatically recalculated to reflect the new sequence.
Background Calculation
Route calculation happens asynchronously in the background using Oban workers. This means:
- You don't have to wait for routes to calculate before continuing to work
- Complex routes with many waypoints won't slow down the interface
- The system can retry failed calculations automatically
Related Articles
- Itineraries - Learn how itinerary items connect to waypoints
- Datasets - Explore the reference data you can use as waypoints
- Documents - Write notes about your routes with geographic references