Google has announced a new localized version of Google Maps for Switzerland. As always, the maps include road information and directions. And, there is even public transit information from local transportation providers. This is part of a bigger effort which Google has also announced for European public transit information. The same information is also available in Google Earth. See the screenshot which shows a closeup in Bern, Switzerland with the Transportation layer turned on. A bus stop is selected and clicking on the placemark takes you to a web page showing detailed bus stop information for today’s buses.
But, the Google Earth content for Switzerland has so much more to offer. Switzerland was the first country to receive high resolution 3D terrain in GE, and the Swiss Alps are totally awesome to view (see a video flying tour of the GE Swiss Alps from a few months ago).
Yet another way to explore the Swiss Alps in GE is using the driving directions. For example, enter “Attinghausen to Silenen” into the Fly To search pane in Google Earth and you will get driving directions. Then select the “Play” button below the directions. You will get a flying tour of the driving directions. If you go to the “Tools->Options” you can adjust your height and tilt so you can see the mountains while touring the directions. Not only that, but if you turn on the Places of Interest layer you will see Google has even added the ski lifts in Google Earth in Switzerland as well. The imagery is high enough resolution that you can see the buildings housing each end of the ski lifts!
Here is a video showing how all this looks in Google Earth:
About Frank Taylor
Frank Taylor started the Google Earth Blog in July, 2005 shortly after Google Earth was first released. He has worked with 3D computer graphics and VR for many years and was very impressed with this exciting product. Frank completed a 5.5 year circumnavigation of the earth by sailboat in June 2015 which you can read about at Tahina Expedition, and is a licensed pilot, backpacker, diver, and photographer.
Wow… cool… getting GM directly to my house door. I can even query my bus in the far end of the valley Simmental.
Unfortunately I cannot show my routes with public transportation in GoogleEarth. But I think that’s no a big thing… Combinig the fact that busses and trams are using roads and the possibility of dispalying streetroutes in GE should do it… and the train routes are thin black lines in GE… the data is present, its just a work of linking…
it’s really cool for me showing friends GM and GE in my neigbourhood … about my neighbourhood 🙂
i am engaged on a project in Lagos Nigeria.
My Engineers who use the pro version of Google earth, tell me that the high resolution mapping is not available over the full length of the Lekki peninsula. could anybody tell me how often or when the mapping in theis area will be upgraded?