Google Maps

What it is

The Google Maps MCP Server is an MCP server for the Google Maps API. It provides seven tools: geocoding, reverse geocoding, place search, place details, distance matrix, elevation, and directions. It can be configured in Claude Desktop or VS Code using either NPX or Docker, and it authenticates with a Google Maps API key. The repository is in the archived servers repo and is MIT licensed.

Who it's for

• Developers who want an MCP client such as Claude Desktop or VS Code to look up addresses, places, and routes
• Users who already have or can create a Google Maps API key
• Teams that want to share a VS Code MCP configuration via .vscode/mcp.json

Requirements

Setup

1. Get a Google Maps API key

   Create an API key by following the Google Maps documentation linked in the README (https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/get-api-key#create-api-keys).

2. Claude Desktop with NPX

   Add this block to your claude_desktop_config.json, replacing <YOUR_API_KEY> with your key.

   jsonCopy

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "google-maps": {
         "command": "npx",
         "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-google-maps"],
         "env": {
           "GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY": "<YOUR_API_KEY>"
         }
       }
     }
   }

3. Claude Desktop with Docker

   Alternatively, add this block to your claude_desktop_config.json to run the server in Docker.

   jsonCopy

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "google-maps": {
         "command": "docker",
         "args": [
           "run",
           "-i",
           "--rm",
           "-e",
           "GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY",
           "mcp/google-maps"
         ],
         "env": {
           "GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY": "<YOUR_API_KEY>"
         }
       }
     }
   }

4. VS Code manual install (NPX)

   Add this to your User Settings (JSON) file (open it with Ctrl + Shift + P and 'Preferences: Open User Settings (JSON)'). Optionally put it in .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace, where the mcp key is not needed.

   jsonCopy

   {
     "mcp": {
       "inputs": [
         {
           "type": "promptString",
           "id": "maps_api_key",
           "description": "Google Maps API Key",
           "password": true
         }
       ],
       "servers": {
         "google-maps": {
           "command": "npx",
           "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-google-maps"],
           "env": {
             "GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY": "${input:maps_api_key}"
           }
         }
       }
     }
   }

5. Build the Docker image

   To build the Docker image locally, run this command.

   bashCopy

   docker build -t mcp/google-maps -f src/google-maps/Dockerfile .

Examples

Use maps_geocode with address set to an address string.

Use maps_directions with origin, destination, and optionally mode set to "driving", "walking", "bicycling", or "transit".

Use maps_search_places with query, and optionally location { latitude, longitude } and radius in meters (max 50000).

Use maps_distance_matrix with origins (string[]), destinations (string[]), and optional mode.

Pros & cons

Images