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Building a trip

Turn a starting point and a destination into simple bus-and-walk steps, and share the route as an Easy Route page.

Open trip mode

What this does

Trip mode on the map takes a start and a destination and produces a step-by-step route by bus and walking.

When to use it

Use it when getting there is the hard part — especially when sending someone to a shelter, appointment, or service across town.

What you need

A start and an end. Either can be an address, cross street, landmark, or a resource straight from a listing’s Directions button.

In this guide
Source and freshness notes appear inside each guide where they matter.

Building a route

  1. Start from a listing or the map

    The Directions button on any listing fills in the destination for you. Or open trip mode and type both ends.

  2. Set the starting point

    Use your location, or type an address, cross street, or landmark. If a private location feels sensitive, use a nearby public landmark instead.

  3. Check the matched places

    LaneHelp shows the exact points it matched your words to. Confirm both are right before trusting the route — a wrong match makes a confident-looking wrong route.

  4. Pick walking or bus

    Bus routes include which line to ride, where to board, and where to get off.

  5. Follow or share the route

    Use it on the map, or open the Easy Route view — a simplified step list built for phones and printing, made to hand to someone else.

What an Easy Route contains

  • A summary line: start, destination, travel mode, and rough time.
  • Numbered steps: walk segments with direction and distance, bus segments with route, stop, and where to get off.
  • Transfer and wait notes when the trip needs them.
  • A map link, plus print and share buttons.

Common questions

What if LaneHelp cannot find my starting place?

Try a nearby cross street (“W 7th and Chambers”) or a well-known landmark. LaneHelp shows a plain map instead of guessing when it cannot match a place confidently.

Can I build a trip without sharing my location?

Yes — type any starting place. Location sharing is a convenience, never a requirement. See Location permissions.

Does trip mode include driving?

Trip mode focuses on walking and bus, which is what most people using it have. For driving directions, the pin card’s address works with any maps app.

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