**European Economic Area (EEA) developers**

> [!NOTE]
> If your billing address is in the European Economic Area, effective on 8 July 2025, the [Google Maps Platform EEA Terms of Service](https://cloud.google.com/terms/maps-platform/eea) will apply to your use of the Services. Functionality varies by region. [Learn more](https://developers.google.com/maps/comms/eea/faq.md.txt).

A waypoint is a location along a route, including the beginning (origin) and end
(destination) locations for a route, and the origins and destinations for a
route matrix.

You have several options on how to
[specify the location for waypoints](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/routes/get-a-route.md.txt#specify-locations-for-a-route).
In addition to setting the beginning and end locations, you can also add intermediate waypoints
that you want the route to go through, and have a couple of options for waypoint behavior:

| Waypoint option | Description |
|---|---|
| [Specify waypoint locations](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/routes/get-a-route.md.txt#specify-locations-for-a-route) | Specify the beginning and end of, and points along, the route. |
| [Set intermediate waypoints](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/routes/intermediate-waypoints.md.txt) | Set intermediate waypoints to specify locations in between the origin and destination that you want the route to go through. An intermediate waypoint can be a stopover or pass-through waypoint (see sections below). |
| [Set a stop along a route](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/routes/stop-over.md.txt) | Specify an intermediate waypoint is a stop along the route, such as for a pickup or dropoff. |
| [Set a point for a route to pass through](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/routes/pass-through.md.txt) | Specify an intermediate waypoint that you want the route to pass through. |
| [Specify vehicle heading for a waypoint](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/routes/location-modifiers.md.txt#heading) | Specify the heading of the vehicle when it arrives. Cannot use with side of road. |
| [Specify side of road for a waypoint](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/routes/location-modifiers.md.txt#side-of-road) | Specify the side of road you prefer the vehicle arrives on. Cannot use with heading. |
| [Optimize the order of stops on a route](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/routes/optimize-stops.md.txt) | Specify the direction you want the vehicle to head when it arrives at each waypoint. |