Tutorial: Find a route and directions

Learn how to find a route and directions with the route service.

Routing is the process of finding the path from an origin to a destination in a street network. You can use the route service to find routes, get driving directions, calculate drive times, and solve complicated, multiple vehicle routing problems. To create a route, you typically define a set of stops (origin and one or more destinations) and use the service to find a route with directions. You can also use a number of additional parameters such as barriers and mode of travel to refine the results.

In this tutorial, you define an origin and destination by clicking on the map. These values are used to get a route and directions from the route service. The directions are also displayed on the map.

Prerequisites

You need an ArcGIS Location Platform or ArcGIS Online account.

Steps

Create a new pen

To get started, either complete the Display a scene tutorial or .

Get an access token

You need an access token with the correct privileges to access the resources used in this tutorial.

Go to the Create an API key tutorial and create an API key with the following privilege(s):
- Privileges
  - Location services > Basemaps
  - Location services > Routing
Copy the API key access token to your clipboard when prompted.

In CodePen, update the accessToken variable to use your access token.

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      const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";

      Cesium.ArcGisMapService.defaultAccessToken = accessToken;

      const cesiumAccessToken = "YOUR_CESIUM_ACCESS_TOKEN";

      Cesium.Ion.defaultAccessToken = cesiumAccessToken;

      const arcGisImagery = Cesium.ArcGisMapServerImageryProvider.fromBasemapType(Cesium.ArcGisBaseMapType.SATELLITE);

      const viewer = new Cesium.Viewer("cesiumContainer", {

        baseLayer: Cesium.ImageryLayer.fromProviderAsync(arcGisImagery),

      });

To learn about the other types of authentication available, go to Types of authentication.

Add references to ArcGIS REST JS

In the <head> element, reference the routing and request packages from ArcGIS REST JS.

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    <script src="https://cesium.com/downloads/cesiumjs/releases/1.121/Build/Cesium/Cesium.js"></script>
    <link href="https://cesium.com/downloads/cesiumjs/releases/1.121/Build/Cesium/Widgets/widgets.css" rel="stylesheet">

    <script src="https://unpkg.com/@esri/arcgis-rest-request@4/dist/bundled/request.umd.js"></script>
    <script src="https://unpkg.com/@esri/arcgis-rest-routing@4/dist/bundled/routing.umd.js"></script>

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Update the scene

This routing application uses an integrated mesh layer of Frankfurt, Germany. Update the scene extent to focus on Frankfurt.

Update the setView command to center on location [8.68019, 50.1147], Frankfurt.

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    viewer.camera.setView({

      destination : Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(8.68019, 50.1147 , 500),
      orientation : {
        heading: Cesium.Math.toRadians(-120),
        pitch : Cesium.Math.toRadians(-28.0),
      }

    });
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Add the Frankfurt integrated mesh layer to the scene as an I3SDataProvider.

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    viewer.camera.setView({

      destination : Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(8.68019, 50.1147 , 500),
      orientation : {
        heading: Cesium.Math.toRadians(-120),
        pitch : Cesium.Math.toRadians(-28.0),
      }

    });

    const geoidService = await Cesium.ArcGISTiledElevationTerrainProvider.fromUrl("https://tiles.arcgis.com/tiles/GVgbJbqm8hXASVYi/arcgis/rest/services/EGM2008/ImageServer");
    const i3sProvider = await Cesium.I3SDataProvider.fromUrl("https://tiles.arcgis.com/tiles/cFEFS0EWrhfDeVw9/arcgis/rest/services/Buildings_Frankfurt_2021/SceneServer", {
        geoidTiledTerrainProvider: geoidService,
        token: accessToken
    })
    viewer.scene.primitives.add(i3sProvider);
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Create start and end point graphics

Billboard entities are used to represent the start and end points of the route. You can customize Billboard entities to display custom pins and images.

Add two new Billboard entities to the viewer to represent start and end points. Set the position of both entities to null.

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    const geoidService = await Cesium.ArcGISTiledElevationTerrainProvider.fromUrl("https://tiles.arcgis.com/tiles/GVgbJbqm8hXASVYi/arcgis/rest/services/EGM2008/ImageServer");
    const i3sProvider = await Cesium.I3SDataProvider.fromUrl("https://tiles.arcgis.com/tiles/cFEFS0EWrhfDeVw9/arcgis/rest/services/Buildings_Frankfurt_2021/SceneServer", {
        geoidTiledTerrainProvider: geoidService,
        token: accessToken
    })
    viewer.scene.primitives.add(i3sProvider);

    const startPoint = viewer.entities.add({
        name:'start',
        position:null,
        billboard: {
            verticalOrigin: Cesium.VerticalOrigin.BOTTOM,
            heightReference: Cesium.HeightReference.CLAMP_TO_GROUND,

        }
    })

    const endPoint = viewer.entities.add({
        name:'end',
        position:null,
        billboard: {
            verticalOrigin: Cesium.VerticalOrigin.BOTTOM,
            heightReference: Cesium.HeightReference.CLAMP_TO_GROUND,

        }
    })
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Create a PinBuilder and use it to set the image property of the billboards.

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    const pinBuilder = new Cesium.PinBuilder();

    const startPoint = viewer.entities.add({
        name:'start',
        position:null,
        billboard: {
            verticalOrigin: Cesium.VerticalOrigin.BOTTOM,
            heightReference: Cesium.HeightReference.CLAMP_TO_GROUND,

            image: pinBuilder.fromText("1",Cesium.Color.fromCssColorString('#348bdb'),48).toDataURL(),

        }
    })

    const endPoint = viewer.entities.add({
        name:'end',
        position:null,
        billboard: {
            verticalOrigin: Cesium.VerticalOrigin.BOTTOM,
            heightReference: Cesium.HeightReference.CLAMP_TO_GROUND,

            image: pinBuilder.fromText("2",Cesium.Color.fromCssColorString('#348bdb'),48).toDataURL(),

        }
    })
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Add a click handler

Use an event handler to set the start (origin) and end (destination) points for the route. The first click will set the startCoords for the route and the second click will set the endCoords. Subsequent clicks will start a new route.

Create a currentStep variable initialized to 'start'. Declare startCoords and endCoords variables that will be used within the click handler.

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    const geoidService = await Cesium.ArcGISTiledElevationTerrainProvider.fromUrl("https://tiles.arcgis.com/tiles/GVgbJbqm8hXASVYi/arcgis/rest/services/EGM2008/ImageServer");
    const i3sProvider = await Cesium.I3SDataProvider.fromUrl("https://tiles.arcgis.com/tiles/cFEFS0EWrhfDeVw9/arcgis/rest/services/Buildings_Frankfurt_2021/SceneServer", {
        geoidTiledTerrainProvider: geoidService,
        token: accessToken
    })
    viewer.scene.primitives.add(i3sProvider);

    let currentStep = 'start';
    let startCoords,endCoords;

    const pinBuilder = new Cesium.PinBuilder();
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Create a ScreenSpaceEventHandler for the Viewer that listens for left clicks. Create an onLeftClick function that runs when a click is detected.

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    const endPoint = viewer.entities.add({
        name:'end',
        position:null,
        billboard: {
            verticalOrigin: Cesium.VerticalOrigin.BOTTOM,
            heightReference: Cesium.HeightReference.CLAMP_TO_GROUND,

            image: pinBuilder.fromText("2",Cesium.Color.fromCssColorString('#348bdb'),48).toDataURL(),

        }
    })

    function onLeftClick(movement) {

    }

    viewer.screenSpaceEventHandler.setInputAction(onLeftClick,Cesium.ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK);
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Get the coordinates of the clicked location and use transform them from Cartesian coordinates to longitude and latitude degrees to use with the routing service.

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    function onLeftClick(movement) {

        const pickedPosition = viewer.scene.pickPosition(movement.position);

        const cartographic = Cesium.Cartographic.fromCartesian(pickedPosition);
        const point = [Cesium.Math.toDegrees(cartographic.longitude),Cesium.Math.toDegrees(cartographic.latitude)]

    }

    viewer.screenSpaceEventHandler.setInputAction(onLeftClick,Cesium.ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK);
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Set the locations of the startPoint and endPoint billboards using a conditional statement. When a new starting position is set, remove all previous billboards and routes.

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    function onLeftClick(movement) {

        const pickedPosition = viewer.scene.pickPosition(movement.position);

        const cartographic = Cesium.Cartographic.fromCartesian(pickedPosition);
        const point = [Cesium.Math.toDegrees(cartographic.longitude),Cesium.Math.toDegrees(cartographic.latitude)]

        if (currentStep === 'start') {
            startCoords = point;
            startPoint.position = pickedPosition;

            viewer.dataSources.removeAll();
            endPoint.position = null;
            endCoords = null;

            currentStep = 'end';
        }
        else {
            endCoords = point;
            endPoint.position = pickedPosition;
            currentStep = 'start';
        }

    }

    viewer.screenSpaceEventHandler.setInputAction(onLeftClick,Cesium.ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK);
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Run the app. You should be able to click on the map to create two billboards that display the numbers "1" and "2". Subsequent clicks should set new positions for the billboards.

Get the route and directions

To find a route between the points as well as turn-by-turn directions, use the ArcGIS REST JS solveRoute function to make a request to the routing service.

Create a new arcgisRest.ApiKeyManager and set your access token.

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    const accessToken = "YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN";

    Cesium.ArcGisMapService.defaultAccessToken = accessToken;

    const authentication = arcgisRest.ApiKeyManager.fromKey(accessToken);
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Create a function called getRoute that accepts two sets of coordinate pairs. Inside, call arcgisRest.solveRoute and provide the coordinates of the starting and ending points.

arcgisRest.solveRoute creates a direct request to the solve endpoint of the routing service. To learn more about the solve endpoint, go to Routing service in the Mapping and location services guide.

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    viewer.screenSpaceEventHandler.setInputAction(onLeftClick,Cesium.ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK);

    function getRoute(start,end) {

        arcgisRest
        .solveRoute({
            stops: [start,end],
            authentication
        })

    }
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Access the service response and add the returned GeoJSON to your application as a GeoJsonDataSource.

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    function getRoute(start,end) {

        arcgisRest
        .solveRoute({
            stops: [start,end],
            authentication
        })

        .then((response) => {
            Cesium.GeoJsonDataSource.load(response.routes.geoJson,{
                    stroke:Cesium.Color.fromCssColorString('#76fcfc'),
                    strokeWidth:5,
                    clampToGround:true
            }).then((data)=>{
                viewer.dataSources.add(data);
            });

        })

    }
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Access the directions returned by the service and format them as HTML. Create an invisible Entity and set its description to display directions on the map.

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    function getRoute(start,end) {

        arcgisRest
        .solveRoute({
            stops: [start,end],
            authentication
        })

        .then((response) => {
            Cesium.GeoJsonDataSource.load(response.routes.geoJson,{
                    stroke:Cesium.Color.fromCssColorString('#76fcfc'),
                    strokeWidth:5,
                    clampToGround:true
            }).then((data)=>{
                viewer.dataSources.add(data);
            });

            const directionsHTML = response.directions[0].features.map((f) => f.attributes.text).join("<br/>");

            const directionsPopup = viewer.entities.add({
                name:"Directions",
                description:directionsHTML,
                position:Cesium.Cartesian3.fromDegrees(0,0),
            });

            viewer.selectedEntity = directionsPopup;

        })

    }
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In your onLeftClick function, call getRoute when both a start point and end point have been set.

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    function onLeftClick(movement) {

        const pickedPosition = viewer.scene.pickPosition(movement.position);

        const cartographic = Cesium.Cartographic.fromCartesian(pickedPosition);
        const point = [Cesium.Math.toDegrees(cartographic.longitude),Cesium.Math.toDegrees(cartographic.latitude)]

        if (currentStep === 'start') {
            startCoords = point;
            startPoint.position = pickedPosition;

            viewer.dataSources.removeAll();
            endPoint.position = null;
            endCoords = null;

            currentStep = 'end';
        }
        else {
            endCoords = point;
            endPoint.position = pickedPosition;
            currentStep = 'start';
        }

        if (startCoords && endCoords) {
            getRoute(startCoords,endCoords);
        }

    }

    viewer.screenSpaceEventHandler.setInputAction(onLeftClick,Cesium.ScreenSpaceEventType.LEFT_CLICK);
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Run the app

In CodePen, run your code to display the map.

When the application loads, you should be able to click on two different locations to create an origin point and a destination. The routing service should then calculate a driving route between them.

What's next?

Learn how to use additional ArcGIS location services in these tutorials:

Find service areas

Calculate the area that can be reached in a given driving time from a location.

Find nearby places and details

Find points of interest near a location and get detailed information about them

Find place addresses

Search for coffee shops, gas stations, restaurants and other nearby places with the Geocoding service.