Google Maps MCP

Overview

Google Maps MCP is a Model Context Protocol server that enables AI agents to access Google Maps Platform services, including geocoding, place search, directions, and more. It allows agents to help with location-based queries, navigation, and geographic data.

Key Features

🗺️ Mapping Capabilities

Geocoding: Convert addresses to coordinates and vice versa
Place Search: Find places by name, type, or location
Directions: Get routes between locations
Distance Matrix: Calculate distances and travel times
Place Details: Get detailed information about specific places

📍 Location Services

Reverse Geocoding: Get address from coordinates
Nearby Search: Find places near a location
Autocomplete: Get place suggestions as you type
Time Zones: Convert between time zones

🚗 Navigation

Route Planning: Get directions with multiple stops
Travel Modes: Driving, walking, cycling, transit
Traffic Awareness: Consider current traffic conditions
Route Optimization: Find optimal routes for multiple destinations

Installation

# Using npx (recommended)
npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-google-maps

# With API key
GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY=your-api-key npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-google-maps

Configuration

Required Setup

Get a Google Maps API Key:
- Visit Google Cloud Console
- Create a new project or select existing
- Enable required APIs:
  - Maps JavaScript API
  - Places API
  - Directions API
  - Geocoding API
- Create API key with appropriate restrictions

Set Environment Variable:

export GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY=your-api-key-here

Configure in Claude Desktop:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "google-maps": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-google-maps"],
      "env": {
        "GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY": "your-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Available Tools

Tool	Description
`geocode`	Convert address to coordinates
`reverse_geocode`	Convert coordinates to address
`search_places`	Search for places by query
`get_place_details`	Get detailed info about a place
`get_directions`	Get directions between locations
`distance_matrix`	Calculate distances and times
`find_place`	Find a place by text query
`places_nearby`	Find places near a location
`timezone`	Get timezone for coordinates

Usage Examples

Geocode an Address

What are the coordinates for 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA?

Returns:

Latitude: 37.4224764
Longitude: -122.0842499
Formatted Address: 1600 Amphitheatre Pkwy, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA

Reverse Geocode

What's at coordinates 40.7128° N, 74.0060° W?

Returns:

Address: New York, NY, USA
Place Type: locality

Search for Places

Find coffee shops near San Francisco

Returns:

1. Blue Bottle Coffee - 0.3 miles away
2. Sightglass Coffee - 0.5 miles away
3. Ritual Coffee Roasters - 0.7 miles away
...

Get Directions

Give me directions from San Francisco to Los Angeles

Returns:

Route: San Francisco, CA → Los Angeles, CA
Distance: 383 miles (616 km)
Duration: 5h 45m (via I-5 S)
Traffic: Moderate

Multi-Stop Route

Plan a route: Home → Coffee Shop → Office → Gym → Home

Returns:

Optimized Route:
1. Home (start)
2. Coffee Shop (5 min)
3. Office (15 min)
4. Gym (10 min)
5. Home (20 min)

Total: 50 minutes, 12 miles

Place Details

Tell me about the Eiffel Tower

Returns:

Name: Eiffel Tower
Address: Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris, France
Rating: 4.6/5 (150,000+ reviews)
Type: Landmark, Tourist Attraction
Hours: Open 24 hours
Website: https://www.toureiffel.paris/

Distance Matrix

How long does it take to drive from these locations to downtown?
- Airport
- Train Station
- Hotel

Returns:

Airport → Downtown: 35 min (22 miles)
Train Station → Downtown: 15 min (8 miles)
Hotel → Downtown: 10 min (4 miles)

Integration with AI Agents

Travel Planning

Claude: "Let me help you plan your trip to Tokyo..."
[Searches for hotels, restaurants, attractions]
Claude: "Here's a suggested itinerary..."
[Provides directions between locations]

Local Business Research

User: "Find me a good Italian restaurant for a business dinner"
Claude: "Let me search for Italian restaurants in your area..."
[Searches places, gets details, checks ratings]
Claude: "I found 3 highly-rated options. Here are the details..."

Logistics Planning

User: "I need to deliver packages to 5 locations today"
Claude: "Let me optimize your delivery route..."
[Calculates optimal route using distance matrix]
Claude: "Here's the most efficient order to visit all locations..."

Real Estate Assistance

User: "What's the commute from this neighborhood to downtown?"
Claude: "Let me check the commute times..."
[Geocodes locations, gets directions]
Claude: "Average commute is 35 minutes by car, 50 minutes by transit..."

Custom Agent Integration

from mcp import ClientSession, StdioServerParameters
from mcp.client.stdio import stdio_client
import os

# Connect to Google Maps MCP
server_params = StdioServerParameters(
    command="npx",
    args=["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-google-maps"],
    env={"GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY": os.environ["GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY"]}
)

async with stdio_client(server_params) as (read, write):
    async with ClientSession(read, write) as session:
        await session.initialize()
        
        # Geocode
        result = await session.call_tool(
            "geocode",
            arguments={"address": "1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA"}
        )
        
        # Search places
        places = await session.call_tool(
            "search_places",
            arguments={"query": "coffee shops near San Francisco"}
        )
        
        # Get directions
        directions = await session.call_tool(
            "get_directions",
            arguments={
                "origin": "San Francisco, CA",
                "destination": "Los Angeles, CA",
                "mode": "driving"
            }
        )

Google Maps API Pricing

Service	Free Tier	Paid Tier
Geocoding	40,000/month	$5 per 1,000
Places	128,000/month	$17 per 1,000
Directions	40,000/month	$5 per 1,000
Distance Matrix	100,000/month	$5 per 1,000

Google provides a $200 monthly credit automatically.

Pros

✅ Comprehensive Data: Access to Google's massive place database
✅ Accurate Geocoding: Industry-leading address-to-coordinate conversion
✅ Rich Place Details: Reviews, hours, photos, and more
✅ Multiple Travel Modes: Driving, walking, cycling, transit
✅ Real-Time Traffic: Current traffic conditions
✅ Global Coverage: Works worldwide

Cons

❌ API Key Required: Must set up Google Cloud project
❌ Cost at Scale: Can get expensive for high usage
❌ Quota Limits: Daily and monthly request limits
❌ Complex Setup: Multiple APIs to enable
❌ Billing Required: Must have billing account for production use

When to Use

Choose Google Maps MCP when:

You need accurate geocoding and mapping
You want access to place information and reviews
You need routing and directions
You're building location-based applications

Consider alternatives when:

You need free unlimited access (try OpenStreetMap-based solutions)
You only need basic geocoding (simpler APIs available)
You're on a tight budget (free tiers may be insufficient)

Resources

GitHub: https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers/tree/main/src/google-maps
Google Maps Platform: https://mapsplatform.google.com/
API Documentation: https://developers.google.com/maps
Pricing: https://mapsplatform.google.com/pricing/

Comparison

Feature	Google Maps MCP	OpenStreetMap	Mapbox MCP
Data Quality	✅ Excellent	⚠️ Variable	✅ Excellent
Coverage	✅ Global	✅ Global	✅ Global
Free Tier	⚠️ Limited	✅ Unlimited	⚠️ Limited
Place Details	✅ Rich	⚠️ Basic	✅ Good
Setup Complexity	⚠️ Moderate	✅ Simple	⚠️ Moderate
Cost at Scale	⚠️ High	✅ Free	⚠️ Moderate

Last updated: May 2026

Google Maps MCP

Overview

Setup

Configuration

Documentation

Google Maps MCP

Overview

Key Features

🗺️ Mapping Capabilities

📍 Location Services

🚗 Navigation

Installation

Configuration

Required Setup

Available Tools

Usage Examples

Geocode an Address

Reverse Geocode

Search for Places

Get Directions

Multi-Stop Route

Place Details

Distance Matrix

Integration with AI Agents

Travel Planning

Local Business Research

Logistics Planning

Real Estate Assistance

Custom Agent Integration

Google Maps API Pricing

Pros

Cons

When to Use

Resources

Comparison