What are the best free point-to-point travel planners for mapping routes with bus, train, and ferry connections?

Here are some of the best free point-to-point travel planners for mapping routes that include bus, train, and ferry connections:

Best all-around options

1. Rome2Rio

• Best for: Finding possible routes between almost any two places worldwide
• Covers: Flights, trains, buses, ferries, driving, walking
• Why it’s good: Very broad global coverage and great for seeing all transport options in one place
• Limitations: Estimates can be approximate; not always best for exact timetables

2. Google Maps

• Best for: Fast route planning in many cities and regions
• Covers: Public transit, walking, driving, some ferries in supported areas
• Why it’s good: Easy to use, reliable for urban transit, includes live updates where available
• Limitations: Ferry and long-distance intercity coverage can be incomplete depending on region

3. Transit

• Best for: Urban and regional public transport
• Covers: Buses, trains, trams, ferries in supported cities
• Why it’s good: Clean interface, real-time transit info, good for multi-modal city travel
• Limitations: Coverage is strongest in major cities, not everywhere

4. Moovit

• Best for: Public transit directions in many countries
• Covers: Bus, train, metro, ferry in some areas
• Why it’s good: Good for step-by-step transit planning and live service info
• Limitations: Some features may require account/login; quality varies by city

Good for regional/national transit planning

5. National journey planners

Many countries and regions have excellent free planners specific to their transit networks:

• UK: National Rail + city transit planners, plus Traveline
• Germany: DB Navigator
• France: SNCF Connect / local transit apps
• Netherlands: 9292
• Switzerland: SBB Mobile
• Nordic countries: Regional apps like Entur (Norway), Rejseplanen (Denmark)

These are often the best choice when you need accurate train/bus connections in a specific country.

Best for ferry-inclusive routes

• Rome2Rio is usually the easiest for finding ferry connections across regions or islands.
• For exact ferry schedules, the ferry operator’s own site or a national transit app is often more accurate.

Best free choice by use case

• Global route discovery: Rome2Rio
• City transit routing: Google Maps, Transit, Moovit
• Country-specific accuracy: National transit planners
• Ferry-heavy itineraries: Rome2Rio + operator schedules

If you want, I can also give you a ranked list by country/region or suggest the best planner for Europe, North America, or Asia.