A Map Is Not the Journey

An online map suggested the shortest walking route between a station and a hotel. On the screen, the difference between two routes was only a few minutes. The shorter one included a steep staircase, which was not obvious in the simplified view.

For a traveler carrying a heavy suitcase, those steps could matter more than the estimated time. A longer route with a gentle slope might be easier. Another visitor, carrying nothing and enjoying stairs, might prefer the original suggestion. The same route could be convenient for one person and unsuitable for another.

The example does not make maps useless. It shows that a recommendation simplifies a situation by selecting certain features to emphasize. Distance and expected speed can help, but they do not fully describe a journey. Before accepting a route, a traveler may need to consider details that the main ranking leaves out.