Accuracy of route planners

Hi there,

I'm comparing various route planners available on the Internet and
trying to find out the most accurate (time-wise) one.

I have tried these three:

Google Maps (reference)
Map24
Viamichelin

Given travel times vary quite much and sometimes I feel that none of
them is right - not even close.

For example, from Zürich to St. Moritz given times varies between 2:18
and 2:24 (without traffic jams). However, almost every single website
tells that it takes about 3 hours (websites of hotels, official city
website etc). Google Maps says that about 140 km is autobahn (and
about 1-2 km in the city before autobahn). So it should take about
1:20 (less than 110 km/h, speed limit 120). Rest is windy road where
the speed is quite low, I suppose. I don't mind if the difference
between "reality" and route planner is 10 minutes or so but wonder how
it could take 3 hours... :)

Makes you thinking about believability and sensibility of the
programs. Why an earth to put big sums for research if the end-product
is, well, garbage..

I have found out that Map24 (at least) takes tunnels and their lowered
speed limits into consideration (about 60 for Gotthard though limit is
80 but the traffic is quite heavy) but then it gives the fastest time
for Zurich-St. Moritz... :o

Any ideas why there are so substantial differences in certain routes?
Do you have some comparisons between reality and computer generated
stuff?

Cheers.


-kb-

On 2007-07-25, kickbikeri81m <kickbikeri81m> wrote:
>
> Any ideas why there are so substantial differences in certain routes?

6 minutes is hardly a substantial difference in a 2 hour estimate.

On 25 heinä, 23:50, Jesper Lauridsen <rorsc...@sorrystofanet.dk>
wrote:
> On 2007-07-25, kickbiker...m <kickbiker...m> wrote:
>
>
>
> > Any ideas why there are so substantial differences in certain routes?
>
> 6 minutes is hardly a substantial difference in a 2 hour estimate.

Estimate is 2:24 and "reality" is 3 hours. That's like 36 minutes to
me. Or 20 %.

I guess Viamichelin and Map24 are quite right and hotels and other
stuff are bit "exaggerated".

On Wed, 25 Jul 2007 14:46:47 -0700, kickbikeri81m wrote:

>On 25 heinä, 23:50, Jesper Lauridsen <rorsc...@sorrystofanet.dk>
>wrote:
>> On 2007-07-25, kickbiker...m <kickbiker...m> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> > Any ideas why there are so substantial differences in certain routes?
>>
>> 6 minutes is hardly a substantial difference in a 2 hour estimate.
>
>Estimate is 2:24 and "reality" is 3 hours. That's like 36 minutes to
>me. Or 20 %.
>
>I guess Viamichelin and Map24 are quite right and hotels and other
>stuff are bit "exaggerated".

Map24 has a thing about Belgrade - it insists it is in Belgium.
--

Martin

On 26 heinä, 01:04, Martin <m...@address.invalid> wrote:
> On Wed, 25 Jul 2007 14:46:47 -0700, kickbiker...m wrote:
> >On 25 heinä, 23:50, Jesper Lauridsen <rorsc...@sorrystofanet.dk>
> >wrote:
> >> On 2007-07-25, kickbiker...m <kickbiker...m> wrote:
>
> >> > Any ideas why there are so substantial differences in certain routes?
>
> >> 6 minutes is hardly a substantial difference in a 2 hour estimate.
>
> >Estimate is 2:24 and "reality" is 3 hours. That's like 36 minutes to
> >me. Or 20 %.
>
> >I guess Viamichelin and Map24 are quite right and hotels and other
> >stuff are bit "exaggerated".
>
> Map24 has a thing about Belgrade - it insists it is in Belgium.
> --
>
> Martin

Which country did you select and which language? Does it have any
Serbian cities or streets? Did you write "Belgrade, Serbia" or just
Belgrade?

According to Wikipedia, Belgrade is located in:

- Serbia
- Belgium
- Maine
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Nebraska
- Texas

There are also 17 Paris' in USA...

On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 06:41:57 -0700, kickbikeri81m wrote:

>On 26 heinä, 01:04, Martin <m...@address.invalid> wrote:
>> On Wed, 25 Jul 2007 14:46:47 -0700, kickbiker...m wrote:
>> >On 25 heinä, 23:50, Jesper Lauridsen <rorsc...@sorrystofanet.dk>
>> >wrote:
>> >> On 2007-07-25, kickbiker...m <kickbiker...m> wrote:
>>
>> >> > Any ideas why there are so substantial differences in certain routes?
>>
>> >> 6 minutes is hardly a substantial difference in a 2 hour estimate.
>>
>> >Estimate is 2:24 and "reality" is 3 hours. That's like 36 minutes to
>> >me. Or 20 %.
>>
>> >I guess Viamichelin and Map24 are quite right and hotels and other
>> >stuff are bit "exaggerated".
>>
>> Map24 has a thing about Belgrade - it insists it is in Belgium.
>> --
>>
>> Martin
>
>Which country did you select and which language? Does it have any
>Serbian cities or streets? Did you write "Belgrade, Serbia" or just
>Belgrade?

First I didn;t specify a country. It chose Belgium, then I specified the right
country and it drew a map from France.
--

Martin

On 26 heinä, 16:45, Martin <m...@address.invalid> wrote:
> On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 06:41:57 -0700, kickbiker...m wrote:
> >On 26 heinä, 01:04, Martin <m...@address.invalid> wrote:
> >> On Wed, 25 Jul 2007 14:46:47 -0700, kickbiker...m wrote:
> >> >On 25 heinä, 23:50, Jesper Lauridsen <rorsc...@sorrystofanet.dk>
> >> >wrote:
> >> >> On 2007-07-25, kickbiker...m <kickbiker...m> wrote:
>
> >> >> > Any ideas why there are so substantial differences in certain routes?
>
> >> >> 6 minutes is hardly a substantial difference in a 2 hour estimate.
>
> >> >Estimate is 2:24 and "reality" is 3 hours. That's like 36 minutes to
> >> >me. Or 20 %.
>
> >> >I guess Viamichelin and Map24 are quite right and hotels and other
> >> >stuff are bit "exaggerated".
>
> >> Map24 has a thing about Belgrade - it insists it is in Belgium.
> >> --
>
> >> Martin
>
> >Which country did you select and which language? Does it have any
> >Serbian cities or streets? Did you write "Belgrade, Serbia" or just
> >Belgrade?
>
> First I didn;t specify a country. It chose Belgium, then I specified the right
> country and it drew a map from France.
> --
>
> Martin

Got it.

You'll find Belgrade if you type Beograd. That's the Serbian name for
Belgrade. Just browse the map with your mouse and you'll notice it.

It's same with Nice. I usually say Nizza but it's Nice in French. If
you type Nizza, it finds something from Italy.

You have to be precise.

Cheers.

On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 07:01:32 -0700, kickbikeri81m wrote:

>On 26 heinä, 16:45, Martin <m...@address.invalid> wrote:
>> On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 06:41:57 -0700, kickbiker...m wrote:
>> >On 26 heinä, 01:04, Martin <m...@address.invalid> wrote:
>> >> On Wed, 25 Jul 2007 14:46:47 -0700, kickbiker...m wrote:
>> >> >On 25 heinä, 23:50, Jesper Lauridsen <rorsc...@sorrystofanet.dk>
>> >> >wrote:
>> >> >> On 2007-07-25, kickbiker...m <kickbiker...m> wrote:
>>
>> >> >> > Any ideas why there are so substantial differences in certain routes?
>>
>> >> >> 6 minutes is hardly a substantial difference in a 2 hour estimate.
>>
>> >> >Estimate is 2:24 and "reality" is 3 hours. That's like 36 minutes to
>> >> >me. Or 20 %.
>>
>> >> >I guess Viamichelin and Map24 are quite right and hotels and other
>> >> >stuff are bit "exaggerated".
>>
>> >> Map24 has a thing about Belgrade - it insists it is in Belgium.
>> >> --
>>
>> >> Martin
>>
>> >Which country did you select and which language? Does it have any
>> >Serbian cities or streets? Did you write "Belgrade, Serbia" or just
>> >Belgrade?
>>
>> First I didn;t specify a country. It chose Belgium, then I specified the right
>> country and it drew a map from France.
>> --
>>
>> Martin
>
>Got it.
>
>You'll find Belgrade if you type Beograd. That's the Serbian name for
>Belgrade. Just browse the map with your mouse and you'll notice it.
>
>It's same with Nice. I usually say Nizza but it's Nice in French. If
>you type Nizza, it finds something from Italy.
>
>You have to be precise.

OK! :-)
--

Martin

The biggest problem in time I have found with the on line routing is
that they use the speed limits of the countries they are based in.
So if you use the American google maps you get the American speed
limits on the roads, even then they do place a max limit at 130km.
You get better results using a mapping site that web sites in each of
hte countries and starting from the web site of the country you want
the distance for.

On Sat, 28 Jul 2007 17:26:32 +0200, B Vaughan<me@> wrote:

>On Wed, 25 Jul 2007 01:52:54 -0700, kickbikeri81m wrote:
>
>We took a trip to Cortona on Thursday, and I used Via Michelin to
>suggest the route. We basically knew all the roads as far as Perugia,
>so we just wanted some route advice from there to Cortona.
>
>The Via Michelin map told us to exit the E45 for the RA6 in the
>vicinity of Perugia. Unfortunately, nothing in the vicinity of Perugia
>is labelled RA6 and I, the navigator, missed the turn. "RA" is a route
>indicator I've never seen in Italy, but I assumed it stands for
>raccordo (a connecting road), and when I saw a sign for Raccordo
>Bettole, I thought it must be that. However, the sign said to go
>straight ahead and the raccordo Bettole was never again mentioned. It
>turned out that we should have turned at the indication for "A1
>Roma-Firenze". (The A1 was a small circle, which usually means, not a
>junction, but a road going towards a junction.)

Via Michelin provides a map and a graphic of the signs at each turning.
You can see that the road is correctly labeled RA6 in several places
--

Martin