The TRAVELDIRECTIONS function gives spreadsheet users turn-by-turn directions in Google Sheets without switching applications.
❗This custom function is only available to users of the Travel Formulas add-on from the Google Workspace Marketplace. Travel Formulas uses Google Maps for you while you stay in your spreadsheet.
Contents
Purpose
The TRAVELDIRECTIONS function writes turn-by-turn directions into your spreadsheet.
All Travel Formulas
TRAVELTIME – Returns the trip duration between locations
TRAVELDISTANCE – Finds the trip distance between locations
TRAVELROUTEURL – Returns the link to your route in Google Maps™
TRAVELDIRECTIONS – Provides turn-by-turn directions
Syntax
=TRAVELDIRECTIONS(origin, destination, unit, mode, departure_time)
origin – The starting location
destination – The ending location
unit – The unit of distance (“mi”, “km”) [optional, defaults to miles]
mode – The mode of travel (“driving”, “walking”, “bicycling”, “transit”) [optional, defaults to driving]
departure_time – A datetime in the future for transit/driving in traffic. It is best to use a cell reference formatted to a datetime [optional, defaults to present time]
Examples
Example 1 – Two Locations
Let’s start by keeping it simple and using two locations: one for the origin and the other for the destination.
Formula: =TRAVELDIRECTIONS("Pullman National Historical Park","Wrigley Field")
Example 2 – Walking in Europe
Next, let’s say you’re planning a walking tour of Berlin. You like to plan your itinerary down to the minute, so you take advantage of the departure time feature. You change the output to kilometers and specify that you are walking.
Formula Used: =TRAVELDIRECTIONS("Französischer Dom","Pergamonmuseum ", "km","walking","7/15/2025 2:00 PM")
Conclusion
In conclusion, the TRAVELDIRECTIONS formula is a versatile tool for planning trips without leaving Google Sheets. You can use it to get turn-by-turn directions with a customized departure time written directly into your spreadsheet.