Apple has announced that Maps will be expanded to include cycling routes in Belgium and the Netherlands is expected to follow suit soon. You need to know this!
Cycling routes available in Belgium
We’ve had to wait a long time, but Apple has added cycling routes to Maps in Belgium. Apple introduced the function years ago with iOS 14, but never brought the bicycle navigation to the Netherlands, Belgium or Luxembourg. That is now changing, because cycling routes are finally available in Belgium. The function will also be added to Maps in Sweden and Austria.
Also read: Maps is much better in iOS 17 – these are the new features
Apple previously released the feature in countries such as Australia, France, Germany, the United States and cities such as Barcelona and London. Now the company adds Belgium to this list, the cycling routes are immediately available throughout the country. It took Apple some time to register all cycle paths, but the function has now been rolled out for the whole of Belgium at once. We will explain how to activate the new feature!
This is how you use cycling routes in Maps
Do you regularly use your bicycle to get to your next destination? Then we have good news, because the cycling routes are directly available in Apple Maps. You don’t have to update your iPhone or Apple Watch for this, the new function is immediately added to Maps. Do you have Maps on your iPhone? Then you set a cycle route as follows:
- Open Maps on your iPhone;
- Add a destination and tap the car;
- When choosing means of transport, choose the bicycle;
- Finally, tap ‘Start’ to start the cycling route.
Please note, because the function is currently only available in Belgium. In the Netherlands, Apple has not yet added cycling routes to Maps. Both your starting and ending points must therefore be in Belgium to plan a cycling route. Have you set that correctly? Then you can choose whether you want a route with (gentle) hills, or whether you prefer a reasonably flat route.
The Netherlands will probably follow soon
After years of patience, Apple has added the cycling routes to Maps in Belgium, but in the Netherlands we have to wait a little longer. Apple usually releases new features for Maps throughout the Benelux, so the app received a major update in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg in 2022. It is therefore expected that the Netherlands will follow this year with cycling routes, just like Luxembourg.
Also read: iPhone tips: you should try out these 6 new features of Apple Maps
The fact that we have to wait a while for the feature in the Netherlands is most likely due to the large number of cycle paths in the country. Apple logically needs more time to add these cycling routes to Maps. Now that the function is finally available in Belgium, it will hopefully not be long before Apple rolls out cycling routes in the Netherlands. So just be patient, because there is light at the end of the (bicycle) tunnel.
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