Google Maps 🗺️

Google Maps integration powered by the Routes API.

Requirements

GOOGLE_API_KEY environment variable
Enable in Google Cloud Console: Routes API, Places API, Geocoding API

Configuration

Env Variable	Default	Description
`GOOGLE_API_KEY`	-	Required. Your Google Maps API key
`GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY`	-	Alternative to `GOOGLE_API_KEY` (fallback)
`GOOGLE_MAPS_LANG`	`en`	Response language (en, he, ja, etc.)

Set in OpenClaw config:

{
  "env": {
    "GOOGLE_API_KEY": "AIza...",
    "GOOGLE_MAPS_LANG": "en"
  }
}

Script Location

python3 skills/google-maps/lib/map_helper.py <action> [options]

Actions

distance - Calculate travel time

python3 lib/map_helper.py distance "origin" "destination" [options]

Options:

Option	Values	Description
`--mode`	driving, walking, bicycling, transit	Travel mode (default: driving)
`--depart`	now, +30m, +1h, 14:00, 2026-02-07 08:00	Departure time
`--arrive`	14:00	Arrival time (transit only)
`--traffic`	best_guess, pessimistic, optimistic	Traffic model
`--avoid`	tolls, highways, ferries	Comma-separated

Examples:

python3 lib/map_helper.py distance "New York" "Boston"
python3 lib/map_helper.py distance "Los Angeles" "San Francisco" --depart="+1h"
python3 lib/map_helper.py distance "Chicago" "Detroit" --depart="08:00" --traffic=pessimistic
python3 lib/map_helper.py distance "London" "Manchester" --mode=transit --arrive="09:00"
python3 lib/map_helper.py distance "Paris" "Lyon" --avoid=tolls,highways

Response:

{
  "distance": "215.2 mi",
  "distance_meters": 346300,
  "duration": "3 hrs 45 mins",
  "duration_seconds": 13500,
  "static_duration": "3 hrs 30 mins",
  "duration_in_traffic": "3 hrs 45 mins"
}

directions - Turn-by-turn route

python3 lib/map_helper.py directions "origin" "destination" [options]

Additional options (beyond distance):

Option	Description
`--alternatives`	Return multiple routes
`--waypoints`	Intermediate stops (pipe-separated)
`--optimize`	Optimize waypoint order (TSP)

Examples:

python3 lib/map_helper.py directions "New York" "Washington DC"
python3 lib/map_helper.py directions "San Francisco" "Los Angeles" --alternatives
python3 lib/map_helper.py directions "Miami" "Orlando" --waypoints="Fort Lauderdale|West Palm Beach" --optimize

Response includes: summary, labels, duration, static_duration, warnings, steps[], optimized_waypoint_order

matrix - Distance matrix

Calculate distances between multiple origins and destinations:

python3 lib/map_helper.py matrix "orig1|orig2" "dest1|dest2"

Example:

python3 lib/map_helper.py matrix "New York|Boston" "Philadelphia|Washington DC"

Response:

{
  "origins": ["New York", "Boston"],
  "destinations": ["Philadelphia", "Washington DC"],
  "results": [
    {"origin_index": 0, "destination_index": 0, "distance": "97 mi", "duration": "1 hr 45 mins"},
    {"origin_index": 0, "destination_index": 1, "distance": "225 mi", "duration": "4 hrs 10 mins"}
  ]
}

geocode - Address to coordinates

python3 lib/map_helper.py geocode "1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA"
python3 lib/map_helper.py geocode "10 Downing Street, London"

reverse - Coordinates to address

python3 lib/map_helper.py reverse 40.7128 -74.0060  # New York City
python3 lib/map_helper.py reverse 51.5074 -0.1278  # London

search - Find places

python3 lib/map_helper.py search "coffee near Times Square"
python3 lib/map_helper.py search "pharmacy in San Francisco" --open

details - Place information

python3 lib/map_helper.py details "<place_id>"

Traffic Models

Model	Use Case
`best_guess`	Default balanced estimate
`pessimistic`	Important meetings (worst-case)
`optimistic`	Best-case scenario

Regional Notes

Some features may not be available in all countries:

Feature	Availability
`--fuel-efficient`	US, EU, select countries
`--shorter`	Limited availability
`--mode=two_wheeler`	Asia, select countries

Check Google Maps coverage for details.

Multilingual Support

Works with addresses in any language:

# Hebrew
python3 lib/map_helper.py distance "תל אביב" "ירושלים"
python3 lib/map_helper.py geocode "דיזנגוף 50, תל אביב"

# Japanese
python3 lib/map_helper.py distance "東京" "大阪"

# Arabic
python3 lib/map_helper.py distance "دبي" "أبو ظبي"

Language configuration:

Set default via env: GOOGLE_MAPS_LANG=he (persists)
Override per-request: --lang=ja

# Set Hebrew as default in OpenClaw config
GOOGLE_MAPS_LANG=he

# Override for specific request
python3 lib/map_helper.py distance "Tokyo" "Osaka" --lang=ja

Help

python3 lib/map_helper.py help

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