Even if travel distances were the first concern of map makers

the technologies we now have available allow us to calculate distances in miles, nautical and air miles or kilometers. The calculation of travel distances both on the highway and in cities remain essential for trip or vacation planning, thus you know how to appreciate the fuel costs as well as the necessity of eventual stops on the way, and therefore the afferent hotel bookings. The Internet is the most comprehensive resource for travel distances and calculators although the traditional map systems provided by AAA and Rand McNally continue to stay in business. Google and MapQuest are other major players in the online map competition.

Google applications are really great for calculating travel distances, and it seems like they've kept their promise to dominate the web with the free services they offer to all searchers. For access to the Google Maps page you need to have a regular free Google account; once you enter the points of origin and destination, the distance measurement tools show all the distance specifics with utmost accuracy. Thus, other than the travel distances you can also access other links in the menu that give access to info on gas prices, weather forecast and nice sights to visit.

For the calculation of travel distances, Google is so far the most user-friendly program, but MapQuest should not be ignored either. This online service is also widely used thanks to the fast way of accessing the information: type the place of origin, the destination point and press enter. The screen will display not only a map and the travel distances, but indications for how to move around are available too. For the moment, MapQuest is preparing the launch of yet another complex program that would compete with the giant Google on an equal foot; this will most certainly imply an adaptation of the tools to be more user friendly.

Presently, time and space perception has changed radically and the modern means of transportation reflect this change. The travel distances between LA and NY appear shorter by plane but longer by train or car. In fact, the relative part in the equation is not distance as such, but our perception of it in terms of time. We now tend to say: how long does it take to get to location X and not how far is location X? For car travelers, distances are then appreciated in terms of costs too: gas, food, lodging, they all mean money. Hence, good trip planning means calculating travel distances too.