Google Maps

by Model Context Protocol

v0.6.2

MIT

Repository Docs npm

Web & Search

mapsgeocodingdirectionsplaces

Summary

Location services for AI clients — geocoding, place search, directions, and travel-time calculations.

Features

Geocode addresses and reverse-geocode coordinates
Search places and retrieve details and reviews
Directions and distance matrix calculations

Installation

Set up this MCP server in your favorite AI agent — copy a ready-made configuration below.

Any MCP-compatible agent

Most agents (Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code, and more) read a standard mcpServers configuration.

Open your agent's MCP configuration file.
Merge the snippet below into it, filling in the environment variables with your own values.
Restart the agent — the "Google Maps" tools will be available.

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

Claude Code

Add the server with a single CLI command.

claude mcp add google-maps -e GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY=your-api-key -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-google-maps

Claude Desktop

Add the server to claude_desktop_config.json (Settings → Developer → Edit Config).

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

Cursor

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

Windsurf

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

VS Code

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

Description

The Google Maps MCP server gives an assistant real location data, which turns vague geographic questions into answers grounded in the actual world rather than in training data.

What it exposes

Geocoding — address to coordinates, and reverse
Place search by text query or nearby a point, with types and radius filters
Place details including opening hours, ratings, reviews, and contact information
Directions between points across driving, walking, cycling, and transit
Distance matrix for travel times between many origins and destinations
Elevation data for coordinates

Realistic uses

Trip planning where the assistant needs to know what is actually near a hotel and how long it takes to get between things; logistics questions about routing; and any application where "find the nearest X" needs to be true rather than plausible.

Setup

Requires a Google Maps Platform API key with the relevant APIs enabled. Note that Maps Platform is billed per request, so an assistant left to explore freely can generate real cost — set quotas.

Part of the MCP reference collection, now in the archived servers repository.