Routing API

The Routing API calculates routes between two or more points. It supports car, bike, foot, and public transit, and returns turn-by-turn directions in JSON, GPX, or KML format.

Base URL

https://routing.maptoolkit.net/route

Authentication

Add your API key as ?api_key=YOUR_API_KEY to every request. See Authentication for details.

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`point`	`lat,lng`	Yes (min. 2)	A waypoint. Add this parameter multiple times to define the route. Order matters.
`routeType`	string	Yes	Vehicle type: `car`, `bike`, `foot`, or `transit`. Transit is currently available only in NRW, Germany.
`language`	string	No	Language for turn instructions, as an ISO 639-1 code (e.g., `en`, `de`).
`weighting`	string	No	Bike only. Route optimization: `networks` (default), `shortest`, or `fastest`.
`voice_instructions`	`0` or `1`	No	Adds voice instruction text to each turn. Default: `0`.
`finish_instruction`	`0` or `1`	No	Adds a finish instruction at the end of the route. Default: `0`.
`format`	string	No	Response format: `json` (default), `gpx`, or `kml`.
`departure`	date string	No	Departure time for transit routing.
`callback`	string	No	Wraps the response in a JSONP callback function.

Response

GET https://routing.maptoolkit.net/route?point=48.202596,16.369801&point=48.208373,16.370401&routeType=car&language=en&api_key=YOUR_API_KEY

This is a response to the HTTP GET request shown above:

{
  "info": {
    "copyrights": [
      "GraphHopper",
      "OpenStreetMap contributors"
    ],
    "took": 1,
    "road_data_timestamp": "2025-11-17T01:00:01Z"
  },
  "paths": [
    {
      "distance": 769.952,
      "weight": 168.289829,
      "time": 98995,
      "points_encoded": true,
      "bbox": [
        16.36885,
        48.202589,
        16.37053,
        48.20802
      ],
      "points": "eqeeHmf|bByD_BMCIVg@pDO`@Oj@INQ?a@OKMGIIMwAkAOC{@u@UYi@}@QU[SWIIASAG@GBIJQl@IH]nAIZy@m@uAw@k@YgBu@",
      "instructions": [
        {
          "distance": 117.483,
          "sign": 0,
          "interval": [
            0,
            2
          ],
          "text": "Continue onto Kärntner Straße",
          "time": 15105,
          "name": "Kärntner Straße",
          "distance_feet": 385,
          "distance_miles": 0.073000529193,
          "coordinate": [
            48.202589,
            16.369828
          ],
          "pushbike": false,
          "tags": {
            "highway": "street",
            "surface": "asphalt"
          },
          "speed": 27.999920556107252,
          "annotations": []
        },
        ...
      ],
      "ascend": 15.5657958984375,
      "descend": 6.759765625,
      "snapped_waypoints": "mf|bBeqeeHkC}`@",
      "ascend_feet": 51,
      "descend_feet": 22,
      "distance_feet": 2526,
      "distance_miles": 0.47842584419199996
    }
  ]
}

Response Fields

Field	Description
`paths[0].distance`	Total route distance in meters
`paths[0].time`	Total route time in milliseconds
`paths[0].points`	Encoded polyline of the full route
`paths[0].bbox`	Bounding box: `[minLon, minLat, maxLon, maxLat]`
`paths[0].instructions[].text`	Turn instruction text
`paths[0].instructions[].distance`	Distance for this step in meters
`paths[0].instructions[].time`	Duration for this step in milliseconds
`paths[0].instructions[].sign`	Turn direction code (see table below)
`paths[0].tags.highway`	Road type for this step
`paths[0].tags.surface`	Surface type for this step

Turn direction codes (`sign`)

Value	Meaning
`-3`	Sharp left
`-2`	Left
`-1`	Slight left
`0`	Continue straight
`1`	Slight right
`2`	Right
`3`	Sharp right
`4`	Finish
`5`	Via point reached
`6`	Roundabout

Highway types

motorway, primary, road, street, pedestrian, cycleway, path, hiking, mountain_hiking, other

Surface types

asphalt, paved, unpaved, natural, alpine, other