Improve the komoot Map

The komoot map is based on data from OpenStreetMap (OSM), an open-source map created and maintained by a global community. You can think of OpenStreetMap as a Wikipedia for maps: people all over the world contribute and keep information like roads, trails, cafés, railway stations, and access rules up to date.

komoot uses this data for map display, route planning, and points of interest (POIs). If you notice something missing or incorrect, such as a missing street, wrong access permissions, or a path that should (or should not) be accessible by bike, you can help improve the map. You can either edit the map directly in OpenStreetMap or suggest an edit to the OpenStreetMap community.

Ways to contribute to the map

You can make direct changes on OSM by creating an account.

To get started:

  1. Open the map and zoom in on the area you want to edit.
  2. Click Edit (top left) to open the iD editor, a browser-based editor designed for beginners.
  3. Follow the built-in walkthrough to learn the basics.
  4. Click on the Start Editing button whenever you're ready to exit the demo mode and start making changes.

Tip: You can relaunch the walkthrough at any time by clicking the Help button.

If you don't want to edit the map yourself, you can report a missing or incorrect feature to OpenStreetMap. An active OSM mapper can then review and apply the change.

Tip: You don't need an OSM account to leave notes.

To suggest an edit:

  1. Search for the relevant address or location in OSM.
  2. Click the speech bubble icon (Add note), then select the correct place on the map.
  3. Enter your suggestion in the note box and click Add note to submit.

Note: OpenStreetMap notes are always public. Do not include personal information or data from copyrighted maps or directory listings.

When an OSM mapper next edits the area, they will see your note and may apply the change. How quickly this happens depends on the level of activity in the local OpenStreetMap community.

Tip: In the komoot Route Planner, you can press CTRL on Windows/CMD on Mac + ALT + click to open the exact location directly in OpenStreetMap.

Editing existing paths and roads

Paths and roads in OpenStreetMap are called ways and can have descriptive attributes (tags), such as surface type, difficulty, or access permissions.

Common examples:

  • Surface: surface=sand
  • Mountain bike difficulty: mtb:scale=1
  • Hiking difficulty: sac_scale
  • Access permissions: foot=yes, bicycle=yes, access=private

To edit a way:

  1. Open the iD editor and select the path or road.
  2. Review existing tags in the left panel.
  3. Add or adjust tags as needed. Click the i icon next to a tag to learn more.
  4. Click Save (top right).

Before editing, you can familiarize yourself with OpenStreetMap tagging conventions. Helpful references include:

  • mtb:scale — the difficulty of trails for mountain biking
  • sac_scale — the difficulty of hiking trails
  • surface — information about the surface of ways and roads
  • access values — describe the legal access for ways and roads

For general cycling guidance, see How to tag cycleways.

Adding missing paths and connecting ways

Adding a new path

  1. In the iD editor, click Line.
  2. Click on the map to place nodes along the path.
  3. Click the final node again to finish the line.
  4. Connect the new path to existing ways and add the appropriate tags.

Satellite imagery or GPS traces can help with placement. You can drag a GPX file into the editor as a reference, but uploading a GPX alone does not add a path to the map.

Connecting paths correctly

Correct connections are essential for route planning and navigation:

  • Connected nodes appear as gray circles.
  • Unconnected endpoints appear as larger white circles.
  • Drag nodes onto other ways until they snap together and turn gray.

Adding points of interest (POIs)

To add places like restaurants, petrol stations, or hotels:

  1. Click Point in the iD editor and select the place on the map where the POI should appear.
  2. Select the feature type.
  3. Add details such as name, address, opening hours, or contact information.
  4. Click Save.

FAQ

When do OSM updates appear on the komoot map?

Changes you make in OpenStreetMap are visible there immediately after saving. Before those changes appear on the komoot map, we need to process the updated data, which happens regularly.

Many edits appear in the komoot route planner within one to two weeks, but some can take up to four weeks. Updates from OSM are applied at different intervals, so certain map elements may refresh sooner than others. For example, geometry changes (like a new path) and POI details (like a restaurant being reclassified as a café) can show up at different times.

If an OSM change is still not visible on komoot after four weeks, please share the details with us and we'll take a closer look.

Can komoot update time-sensitive POIs (for example, restaurants and cafés) more frequently?

We understand the value of faster updates for time-sensitive POIs and pass requests like this to our product team. We can't confirm any timeline or schedule changes for POI updates at this time.

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