Distance between two addresses

Question

I\'m writing a booking web site in php and I would need a library or a remote service (similar to google maps api) that calculate the distance between 2 addresses.

I

Answer 1

Google Maps API - Directions is a good place to start.

Sending off a request using the URL Pattern:

http://maps.google.com/maps/api/directions/xml?origin=[FROM_ADDRESS]&destination=[TO_ADDRESS]&sensor=false
// [FROM_ADDRESS] is a Google-Recognisable address for the Start
// [TO_ADDRESS] is a Google-Recognisable address for the End

Example - "How do I get to Carnegie Hall? (From Sony Music Entertainment)"

Start Address: 550 Madison Avenue, New York, NY, United States End Address: 881 7th Avenue, New York, NY, United States

The URL for the XML Directions from Google would be

http://maps.google.com/maps/api/directions/xml?origin=550+Madison+Avenue,+New+York,+NY,+United+States&destination=881+7th+Avenue,+New+York,+NY,+United+States&sensor=false

The result is:

  OK
  
    
E 57th St
    
      
        DRIVING
        
          40.7612400
          -73.9731300
        
        
          40.7622900
          -73.9723600
        
        
          wdxwF`{nbMqEyC
          BB
        
        
          9
          1 min
        
        
          Head northeast on Madison Ave toward E 56th St
        
        
          133
          436 ft
        
      
      
        DRIVING
        
          40.7622900
          -73.9723600
        
        
          40.7655300
          -73.9800500
        
        
          ikxwFfvnbMgS`o@
          BB
        
        
          148
          2 mins
        
        
          Turn left at the 2nd cross street onto E 57th St
        
        
          741
          0.5 mi
        
      
      
        DRIVING
        
          40.7655300
          -73.9800500
        
        
          40.7651800
          -73.9803000
        
        
          q_ywFhfpbMdAp@
          BB
        
        
          39
          1 min
        
        
          Turn left at the 3rd cross street onto 7th Ave 
Destination will be on the left
        
        
          45
          148 ft
        
      
      
        196
        3 mins
      
      
        919
        0.6 mi
      
      
        40.7612400
        -73.9731300
      
      
        40.7651800
        -73.9803000
      
      550 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10022, USA
      881 7th Ave, New York, NY 10019, USA
    
    Map data ©2010 Google, Sanborn
    
      wdxwF`{nbMqEyCgS`o@dAp@
      B@?B
    
  

So, the quickest route between those two points will have details of:

• Duration in Seconds

  DirectionsResponse > route > leg > duration > value

• Duration in Plain Text

  DirectionsResponse > route > leg > duration > text

• Distance in Base Unit of Local Measurements (Feet or Metres)

  DirectionsResponse > route > leg > distance > value

• Distance in Plain Text for Local Measurement (Miles or Kilometers)

  DirectionsResponse > route > leg > distance > text