Migrating from Bing Maps REST API Routing to Azure Maps

Question

Migrating from Bing Maps REST API Routing to Azure Maps

Tom 276

I'm migrating from Bing Maps to Azure Maps. This will include moving to use the Azure Maps REST API.

I'm currently using https://dev.virtualearth.net/REST/v1/Routes?wp.0=-29.8819,30.9808&wp.1=-29.6035,30.3796&wp.2=-29.8819,30.9808&ra=routePath&key=. I use the itineraryItems provided in the response to provide data for calculations.

I have come across 2 different approaches in Azure Maps. The first is a GET request using the address https://atlas.microsoft.com/route/directions/json?subscription-key={azureMapsKey}&api-version=1.0&query=-29.8819,30.9808:-29.6035,30.3796:-29.8819,30.9808&travelMode=car&traffic=true&computeTravelTimeFor=all

The second is a POST using the address https://atlas.microsoft.com/route/directions?api-version=2025-01-01&subscription-key=. The body of the request contains the following information.

{
        "type": "FeatureCollection",
        "features": [
            {
                "type": "Feature",
                "geometry": {
                    "coordinates": [
                        30.9808,
                        -29.8819
                    ],
                    "type": "Point"
                },
                "properties": {
                    "pointIndex": 0,
                    "pointType": "waypoint"
                }
            },
            {
                "type": "Feature",
                "geometry": {
                    "coordinates": [
                        30.3796,
                        -29.6035
                    ],
                    "type": "Point"
                },
                "properties": {
                    "pointIndex": 1,
                    "pointType": "Waypoint"
                }
            },
            {
                "type": "Feature",
                "geometry": {
                     "coordinates": [
                        30.9808,
                        -29.8819
                     ],
                     "type": "Point"
                 },
                 "properties": {
                     "pointIndex": 2,
                     "pointType": "Waypoint"
                 }
            }
        ],
        "routeOutputOptions": [
            "itinerary"
        ],
        "travelMode": "driving"       
    }

Which is the correct request to use?

Tom 276 Reputation points

2025-08-14T09:27:34.0566667+00:00

@Anonymous Thanks for the help
rbrundritt 21,726 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-08-14T14:08:31.0333333+00:00

The POST version is the latest version and is using the same routing service backend as Bing Maps, while the version 1.0 route service is the older original Azure Maps routing service that is powered directly by TomTom. You will likely find the POST service to work best and as noted above be more future proof since that's the latest version of the service.

Answer accepted by question author

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Tom 276 Reputation points

2025-08-14T09:27:34.0566667+00:00

@Anonymous Thanks for the help
rbrundritt 21,726 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-08-14T14:08:31.0333333+00:00

The POST version is the latest version and is using the same routing service backend as Bing Maps, while the version 1.0 route service is the older original Azure Maps routing service that is powered directly by TomTom. You will likely find the POST service to work best and as noted above be more future proof since that's the latest version of the service.

Answer 1

Hello Tom,

It looks like you’re looking to migrate your routing requests from Bing Maps REST API to Azure Maps. You have two options for making these requests in Azure Maps: a GET request and a POST request.

GET Request

Endpoint:

https://atlas.microsoft.com/route/directions/json?subscription-key={azureMapsKey}&api-version=1.0&query=-29.8819,30.9808:-29.6035,30.3796:-29.8819,30.9808&travelMode=car&traffic=true&computeTravelTimeFor=all

When to use:\ This is similar to the Bing Maps Calculate Route API and works for simple scenarios.
Limitations:\ This uses Route v1.0, which is deprecated and will be retired on March 31, 2028. It doesn’t support advanced features like custom route options or large waypoint sets.

POST Request

Endpoint:

https://atlas.microsoft.com/route/directions?api-version=2025-01-01&subscription-key={azureMapsKey}

When to use:\ This is the recommended approach going forward. It uses GeoJSON in the request body and supports advanced scenarios such as:
- Multiple waypoints and via-waypoints
  - Traffic-aware optimization
    - Detailed outputs like route path and turn-by-turn itinerary

Example code:

{
  "type": "FeatureCollection",
  "features": [
    {
      "type": "Feature",
      "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [30.9808, -29.8819] },
      "properties": { "pointIndex": 0, "pointType": "waypoint" }
    },
    {
      "type": "Feature",
      "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [30.3796, -29.6035] },
      "properties": { "pointIndex": 1, "pointType": "waypoint" }
    },
    {
      "type": "Feature",
      "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [30.9808, -29.8819] },
      "properties": { "pointIndex": 2, "pointType": "waypoint" }
    }
  ],
  "travelMode": "driving",
  "optimizeRoute": "fastestWithTraffic",
  "routeOutputOptions": ["routePath","itinerary"]
}

I would suggest you to use the POST request with api-version=2025-01-01. It’s future-proof, supports complex routing, and aligns with Azure Maps’ latest standards.

Additional Tips

Ensure coordinates are in [longitude, latitude] order (your sample is correct).
Set Content-Type: application/geo+json and optionally Accept-Language for localized instructions.
For traffic-aware routes, include "optimizeRoute": "fastestWithTraffic".
Docs:
- https://learn.microsoft.com/rest/api/maps/route/post-route-directions?view=rest-maps-2025-01-01
- https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/azure-maps/migrate-calculate-route

I hope this helps you with your migration!
Thank you!