Google Place Details Lat/Long coordinates not matching cross platform Maps URLs

Question

I have used the Google Place details API to get the place details which includes the lat/lng coordinates of a place.

When I launch Google maps using the Universal cross-platform Maps URL, it does not recognize the Place.

For example,

https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/place/details/json?placeid=ChIJbf8C1yFxdDkR3n12P4DkKt0&key=XXXXXXXX

returns the place details including the following location data:

 {
  .....
  "geometry": {
    "location": {
      "lat": 27.1750151,
      "lng": 78.0421552
    },
    "viewport": {
      "northeast": {
        "lat": 27.1770292,
        "lng": 78.04537599999999
      },
      "southwest": {
        "lat": 27.16897280000001,
        "lng": 78.0388188
      }
    }
  },
  .....
  "name": "Taj Mahal",
  "place_id": "ChIJbf8C1yFxdDkR3n12P4DkKt0",

  .....
}

But this data, when used to create a Maps URL with direction map action, does not give the correct place in the destination field.

Google Maps URL : https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=27.1750151,78.0421552&destination_place_id=ChIJbf8C1yFxdDkR3n12P4DkKt0

The destination is not shown as a place. Only the lat/lng or address is used as below.

The correct/expected result is the following. Look at the destination.

Update

The issue seems to be with the PlaceID not matching the lat/lng coordinates in the Maps URL. There seems to be an inconsistency with lat/lng provided by the Place Details API.

Below URL works

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=27.1750151,78.0421552,15z&destination_place_id=ChIJbf8C1yFxdDkR3n12P4DkKt0

but 27.1750151,78.0421552,15z is not the coordinates from the Place details API. The lat/lng returned by PlaceDetails API is 27.1750151,78.0421552.

There is a difference of ,15z which I believe it is the zoom levels.

What is this place id? How did you first get it? What do you expect with the request you provided? It's good to provide examples, but please also let us know "what's wrong". — MrUpsidown
PlaceID have been taken using developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/examples/… . I have added screenshots. Hope it is clear now. — Sebin Benjamin

Preston Preston · Accepted Answer · 2018-04-04T22:05:50

The destination parameter looks to be trumping the destination_place_id parameter completely when lat/lngs are supplied, causing a reverse geocode on the coordinates. In the following example URL, I'm using a Place ID of ChIJj61dQgK6j4AR4GeTYWZsKWw which corresponds to the Googleplex in Mountain View, CA as the destination_place_id along with the lat/lng for the Taj Mahal as the destination; notice the Googleplex query is ignored, and a reverse geocode is performed getting just the address in India:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=27.1750151,78.0421552&destination_place_id=ChIJj61dQgK6j4AR4GeTYWZsKWw

So, the workaround is to not use a lat/lng as the destination parameter. I've tested with various strings (place names, addresses, gibberish) as that parameter, and the destination_place_id appears to supercede it, which is the desired behavior. When using just a .(period) as a universal value, the name of the place along with the address is supplied:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=.&destination_place_id=ChIJj61dQgK6j4AR4GeTYWZsKWw

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=.&destination_place_id=ChIJbf8C1yFxdDkR3n12P4DkKt0

Google Place Details Lat/Long coordinates not matching cross platform Maps URLs

2 Answers