Migrate from Directions API (Legacy) or Distance Matrix API (Legacy)

European Economic Area (EEA) developers

If your billing address is in the European Economic Area, effective on 8 July 2025, the Google Maps Platform EEA Terms of Service will apply to your use of the Services. Functionality varies by region. Learn more.

This guide describes how to migrate apps that use either Directions API or Distance Matrix API to using the Routes API. For details on the Routes API, see product overview.

Note: If you were using the Preview release of Routes API, see Migrate from Preview to GA for information on migrating to the GA release.

Billing best practices for migration

This guidance applies if your API usage is high enough to move into second-tier pricing. When migrating to a newer version of an API, you're also being billed for a different SKU. To avoid increased costs during the month of your transition, we recommend switching to the new APIs in production as close to the beginning of the month as possible. This will ensure that you reach the most cost-effective monthly pricing tiers during the migration month. For information about pricing tiers, see the pricing page and the pricing FAQ.

Update the REST API endpoints

Update your code to use the new Routes API endpoints

From Directions API

Directions API	https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/directions/outputFormat?parameters
Routes API	https://routes.googleapis.com/directions/v2:computeRoutes

From Distance Matrix API

Distance Matrix API	https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/distancematrix/outputFormat?parameters
Routes API	https://routes.googleapis.com/distanceMatrix/v2:computeRouteMatrix

Convert URL parameters to use an HTTPS request body

With Directions API and Distance Matrix API, you pass configuration properties as URL parameters to an HTTP GET request. For example, for the Directions API:

https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/directions/outputFormat?parameters

With the Routes API, you pass parameters in a request body or in headers as part of an HTTP POST request. For examples, see:

• Compute a route
• Compute a route matrix

Convert polyline-encoded waypoints to location waypoints

Specifying waypoints as encoded polylines is available in the Directions API (Legacy) to fit a large number of waypoints in the URL limit of 16384 characters. This feature is not necessary in the Routes API because waypoints can be transmitted in the REST or gRPC request body as latitude/longitude coordinates. For examples, see the HTTP Example in the Compute a route matrix document, or Define an intermediate waypoint in the Specify intermediate waypoints document.

Convert parameters

The following tables lists parameters in the Directions API and Distance Matrix API that have been renamed or modified, or parameters that are not supported in the GA release. Update your code if you are using any of these parameters.

Request parameter conversions

Directions or Distance matrix parameter	Routes API parameter	Notes
alternatives	computeAlternativeRoutes
arrival_time	arrivalTime	Available in TRANSIT mode only, and not at the same time as departureTime.
avoid	routeModifiers
departure_time	departureTime	Cannot be used at the same time as arrivalTime.
language	languageCode	Supported for Compute Routes only.
mode	travelMode	Added support for TWO_WHEELER and TRANSIT.
region	regionCode
traffic_model	trafficModel	Learn more
transit_mode	"travelMode": "TRANSIT"	In the Directions API (Legacy), in a transit route, each segment of a trip with the same travel mode (for example, Walk or Transit) is considered to be one step, and individual directions for that travel mode are in substeps. In contrast, In the Routes API, steps are consistently one navigation instruction across all types of travel. So each navigation instruction is a step. For multiple steps in one travel mode, the Routes API provides metadata that contains a summary of the steps for that travel mode, in `stepsOverview`. To request this metadata, use the `routes.legs.stepsOverview` field mask. Learn more.
transit_routing_preference	transitRoutingPreference	Learn more
units	units	Learn more
waypoints	intermediates	Removed support for encoded polylines.
optimize=true for waypoints	"optimizeWaypointOrder": "true"	Learn more

Response parameter conversions

Directions or Distance matrix parameter	Routes API parameter	Notes
copyrights		Not included in the response. You must include the following statement when displaying the results to your users: Powered by Google, ©YEAR Google For example: Powered by Google, ©2022 Google
distance	distanceMeters	Distance is only available in meters.
duration_in_traffic	duration	Removed in the Routes API, use duration.
status		Not available. Use the HTTP response codes for errors reported by the API. See Handle request errors for more information.
geocoded_waypoints	geocoding_results	Supported for Compute Routes only. Contains geocoding response info only for waypoints specified as addresses.
bounds	viewport
legs.end_address	Not available.
legs.start_address	Not available.
overview_polyline	polyline
summary	description
waypoint_order	optimizedIntermediateWaypointIndex