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Directions API (Legacy) Release Notes
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This page is updated with each new release of the
Directions API (Legacy). The changelog lists releases by date and includes
any new features, bug fixes and significant performance improvements.
Consult the developer's guide for information on how to
use the Directions API (Legacy).
November 10, 2015
Features and improvements
- The API now returns predicted travel times with traffic for times in the
future, based on historical averages. Previously, the API only returned travel
times in traffic for times very close to now. To receive predicted travel
times with traffic, specify a departure time of "now" or some time
in the future, with a travel mode of driving. You can also
specify a traffic model of optimistic, pessimistic, or best guess (default),
to influence the assumptions used when calculating the travel time. For
details, see the
developer's guide.
- Standard Plan customers now have access to all the Directions API (Legacy)
features that were previously available only to Google Maps Platform Premium Plan
customers: optimal routes and travel times in traffic, and an increased number
of waypoints - up to 23, increased from the previous limit of 8 way points.
About these release notes
This document describes releases from November 2015 onwards. The
Directions API (Legacy) existed before that date and had a number of
releases, but they're not included in these notes.
Except as otherwise noted, the content of this page is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License, and code samples are licensed under the Apache 2.0 License. For details, see the Google Developers Site Policies. Java is a registered trademark of Oracle and/or its affiliates.
Last updated 2025-08-28 UTC.
[null,null,["Last updated 2025-08-28 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eThe Directions API now provides predicted travel times with traffic for future times, considering historical data and allowing for traffic model specification.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eStandard Plan customers now have access to all Directions API features, including optimal routes, traffic-based travel times, and support for up to 23 waypoints.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eThese release notes cover updates from November 2015 onward, with prior releases not included in this documentation.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eUsers can subscribe to an XML feed to stay updated on new releases and changes to the Directions API.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],["The Directions API release notes, updated with each new release, detail features, bug fixes, and performance improvements. A key update from November 10, 2015, includes predicted travel times with traffic for future departure times using historical averages and a choice of traffic models. Standard Plan customers gained access to optimal routes, travel times with traffic, and increased waypoints (up to 23) that were previously limited to Premium Plan users. These notes start from November 2015.\n"],null,["# Directions API (Legacy) Release Notes\n\n[Subscribe](/static/maps/documentation/directions/feeds/releases.xml)\nto these release notes.\n[](/static/maps/documentation/directions/feeds/releases.xml)\n\nThis page is updated with each new release of the\nDirections API (Legacy). The changelog lists releases by date and includes\nany new features, bug fixes and significant performance improvements.\n\nConsult the [developer's guide](/maps/documentation/directions/overview) for information on how to\nuse the Directions API (Legacy).\n\nNovember 10, 2015\n-----------------\n\n**Features and improvements**\n\n- The API now returns predicted travel times with traffic for times in the future, based on historical averages. Previously, the API only returned travel times in traffic for times very close to now. To receive predicted travel times with traffic, specify a departure time of \"now\" or some time in the future, with a travel mode of driving. You can also specify a traffic model of optimistic, pessimistic, or best guess (default), to influence the assumptions used when calculating the travel time. For details, see the [developer's guide](/maps/documentation/directions/get-directions#traffic-model).\n- Standard Plan customers now have access to all the Directions API (Legacy) features that were previously available only to Google Maps Platform Premium Plan customers: optimal routes and travel times in traffic, and an increased number of waypoints - up to 23, increased from the previous limit of 8 way points.\n\nAbout these release notes\n-------------------------\n\nThis document describes releases from November 2015 onwards. The\nDirections API (Legacy) existed before that date and had a number of\nreleases, but they're not included in these notes."]]
