# Can I find GPS coordinates from Google Maps (or another map program?) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 30, 2005, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-find-gps-coordinates-from-google-maps-or-another-map-program/314896 "2005-07-30T16:09:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tofergregg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tofergregg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tofergregg)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-find-gps-coordinates-from-google-maps-or-another-map-program/314896/1 "2005-07-30T16:09:09Z")
I want to show a friend how to use my GPS receiver, and I’d like to plug in a few coordinates around Boston as waypoints (specifically, South Station, for one). Is there a way to get the coordinates for a specific address from Google Maps or another online mapping program? Thanks! -Tofer ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-find-gps-coordinates-from-google-maps-or-another-map-program/314896/2 "2005-07-30T16:38:29Z")
I’m not sure about plugging an address in to a map site and getting GPS coords. I don’t know of any sites that do that. You can just use Topozone to find [Boston](http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=42.35833&lon=-71.06028) and then find the places your after. It gives GPS coords for where ever you center the map (the little red crosshair). btw, Geocaching is much fun! ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-find-gps-coordinates-from-google-maps-or-another-map-program/314896/3 "2005-07-30T16:51:00Z")
Google Earth will give you lat/long coordinates. Plus, it’s a kick ass program to play with. [http://earth.google.com/](http://earth.google.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-find-gps-coordinates-from-google-maps-or-another-map-program/314896/4 "2005-07-30T17:01:00Z")
Using Google Earth, I can tell you that I’m posting from my couch, which is N 43° 46" 07.91", W 070° 38’ 32.13". Yeah - it’s a slow Saturday. ---
**Author:** ![tofergregg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tofergregg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tofergregg)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-find-gps-coordinates-from-google-maps-or-another-map-program/314896/5 "2005-07-30T17:11:51Z")
Cool – thanks for the tips. I’ll try Google Earth on my friend’s PC (I’ve got a Mac). I’ll also check out TopoZone. Cheers! -Tofer ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-find-gps-coordinates-from-google-maps-or-another-map-program/314896/6 "2005-07-30T17:14:27Z")
If, for some reason, Google Earth doesn’t work for you, you can use [Geocode](http://www.geocode.com/modules.php?name=TestDrive_Eagle). ---
**Author:** ![tofergregg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tofergregg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tofergregg)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2005, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-find-gps-coordinates-from-google-maps-or-another-map-program/314896/7 "2005-07-30T17:16:22Z")
Ooh – I found exactly what I was looking for: [http://www.thrall.net/maps/mbta.html](http://www.thrall.net/maps/mbta.html) This is a Boston MBTA Google Maps finder, and if you get directions to one of the stations, it lists the GPS coords. -Tofer ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-find-gps-coordinates-from-google-maps-or-another-map-program/314896/8 "2005-07-31T00:04:25Z")
BTW, if you use Google Maps, and click the “Link to this page” button, the latitude/longitude will be in the URL in the address bar. It looks like ll=xxxx.xx,yyyyy.yy. ---
**Author:** ![tofergregg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tofergregg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tofergregg)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-find-gps-coordinates-from-google-maps-or-another-map-program/314896/9 "2005-07-31T03:19:43Z")
> [@SmackFu](#): > > BTW, if you use Google Maps, and click the “Link to this page” button, the latitude/longitude will be in the URL in the address bar. It looks like ll=xxxx.xx,yyyyy.yy. Thanks for the tip, but when I entered an address and clicked “Link to this page,” there wasn’t any “ll=” parameter in the address bar… -Tofer ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2005, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-find-gps-coordinates-from-google-maps-or-another-map-program/314896/10 "2005-07-31T09:24:54Z")
Hmm. Try scrolling until the address you chose is just off the page. If it’s _on_ the page, Google appears to just store the address and the scroll off-set, rather than add the lat/long.