POI Discovery

POI Search (Route Mode)

Search Radius

Control how far from your route to search for POIs.

• Adjust slider from 5m to 5km (logarithmic scale for fine control at small radii)
• Use arrow buttons for fine adjustments
• Display switches to feet (and to miles above a mile) when you're using imperial units
• Larger radius finds more POIs but may be less relevant
• The search covers a corridor extending the radius on each side of your route
• Changing the radius never re-fetches by itself - reducing it narrows the results instantly from cache, while increasing it beyond what's already been fetched shows a hint so the next Search fetches only what's missing

Quick Presets

Six pre-configured category combinations for common use cases:

Applying a preset replaces your current selection and, if a route is loaded, starts the search straight away. Alongside the six there are Load and Save buttons for your own presets. There is no "select everything" button - use Deselect All under the Search button to start from nothing.

POI Categories

Choose from 89 POI types organized into 12 groups:

Category Management

• Search Filter - Type to narrow the list. It matches category and group names, and knows a set of synonyms and common foreign spellings, so "gas", "benzin" and "essence" all find Petrol Stations.
• Click a group header to expand or collapse its categories
• Check/uncheck individual categories
• Each group header carries a live count of how many of its categories are ticked, plus a running total of the POIs its rows are showing
• The palette on a group header sets the marker colour for that whole group
• Deselect All, under the Search button, clears every tick in one go

The buttons on each category

Every category row carries up to four small buttons on the right:

• Show only this category - see below.
• Show on the POI graph - opens the POI graph focused on this category.
• Category settings - a custom search distance, marker colour and POI count limit for this category alone (see Custom Search Distances below).
• Cached / re-search - appears only when this category has results stored. Hover it to see how many POIs are cached, at what radius, and how long ago. Clicking it throws that cache away and searches again from scratch, which is what you want if the data looks wrong or the area has changed. It turns into an orange warning triangle when the last search only partly succeeded - click to fetch the parts that failed.

Show only one category (the eye)

With a lot of POIs on the map it can be hard to see anything. Click the beside a category and everything else is hidden - just the cafes, or just the water. Click it again to bring the rest back.

Predicted Counts (≈N)

When a route is loaded, unticked categories show a dimmed estimate (e.g. "≈47") of how many POIs that category would find along your route at the current search radius - worked out by a single fast count query before you select anything. The estimates update when the radius slider settles or the route selection changes. A dimmed "none" means no POIs of that type are expected within the current radius (hover for a tooltip); a blank means no estimate is available (for example, if the route passes nowhere near that category). Estimates follow the main radius slider - per-category custom distances aren't factored in, though the real search does honour them.

Background POI Loading

After you load a GPX route or open a saved project (and the PostGIS backend is active), PitStopper Web quietly prefetches all ~90 built-in POI categories along your route in the background - at a fixed 1000m radius, written into the per-category cache. A small pill at the bottom of the screen shows "Preloading POI data" with its progress, then "POI data ready"; on a typical day-ride route it is gone in a couple of seconds. If it disappears without finishing, nothing has gone wrong - the prefetch is speculative and stands down the moment you search.

• Instant category ticks - Once prefetch settles, selecting any category shows results immediately with zero network cost
• Instant radius adjustments - Moving the radius slider anywhere up to 1000m is pure local filtering (no network requests)
• Never interferes - The prefetch runs only against PitStopper's own POI server; it cancels instantly if you start your own search, and if the server is unavailable there is simply no prefetch (your searches are unaffected and use the normal fallbacks)
• Warm projects - When you save a route as a project, the prefetched data is baked in; shared or re-opened projects are fully cached from the start
• Data-saver skip - Prefetch is skipped entirely on devices with data-saver mode enabled
• Optional - Turn it off under Settings → Preferences ("Preload POIs on route load") if you prefer fetch-on-demand
• Custom categories on demand - User-defined POI tags (your own OSM tag queries) always search on demand and cache like everything else - they aren't prefetched

Custom Search Distances

Set a specific search radius for individual categories:

• Click the pencil icon next to any category
• Enter custom search distance (meters, kilometers, or miles)
• Useful for finding rare POIs further from route
• Blue "Reset Distances" button clears all custom distances

Custom Tags

Create your own POI categories using OpenStreetMap tags. This lets you search for any type of map feature, not just the 70+ built-in categories.

More on the blog: Custom Tags - Search Any OpenStreetMap Feature.

Adding a Custom Tag

1. Expand the Custom Tags section in the sidebar (green border)
2. Click the + button or "Add custom tag..."
3. Search for your desired tag (e.g., "windmill", "lighthouse")
4. Select a tag from the search results
5. Enter a display name (e.g., "Windmills")
6. Choose an icon for the category
7. Click Add Tag

Using Custom Tags

• Custom tags appear in the Custom Tags section with a green border
• Select them like any other category, then click Search
• Custom tags support individual distance settings (click pencil icon)
• Custom tags are saved in your browser and persist across sessions
• Custom tags are included when you save/load presets
• Delete a custom tag by clicking the trash icon

POI Count Limiting

Control the number of POIs displayed per category to keep your map clean and focused.

Global Count Limit

• Enable with the "Limit POIs per Category" checkbox in the sidebar search panel
• The slider only appears once the checkbox is ticked - it runs from 1 to 25 POIs per category and starts at 10
• When enabled, shows only the N closest POIs for each category
• Use arrow buttons for fine adjustments
• Default state: unchecked (unlimited POIs)

Per-Category Count Overrides

• Click the pencil icon next to any category to open Category Settings
• Tick "Limit POIs for this category" and set the number (1-25)
• Overrides the global limit when enabled
• Blue label shows "(Top N)" when custom limit is active
• "Clear All" in the same dialog removes this category's custom distance, colour and limit

Count Badges

Category badges show count information:

• Single number (e.g., "12") - Showing all POIs found
• X/Y format (e.g., "10/127") - Showing 10 out of 127 total POIs (limiting active)
• Hover over badge for detailed tooltip

How Limiting Works

• POIs are sorted by distance from your route (closest first)
• Only the N closest POIs are displayed on map and in sidebar
• Exports are not affected - like PitStopper's other view filters, a count limit changes what you see, not what a GPX, CSV or report contains
• Settings are saved with your projects

Multi-Pass POIs (Out-and-Back Routes)

When your route passes the same POI more than once - an out-and-back ride, or a route that crosses itself - PitStopper shows each pass with its own distance, so you know the café at 20 km out is also there at 80 km on the way home.

• List badge - a twice-passed POI shows a badge like Outbound 1/2; routes with three or more passes show Pass 2/3 etc.
• List each pass separately - by default the list shows one entry per POI (its first pass). Tick this checkbox (it appears above the list when relevant) to list every pass as its own entry with its own distance
• Popup summary - the POI popup lists every pass: You pass here: Out 2.00km · Ret 17.98km
• Map - one marker per place (the passes are the same physical location); the elevation profile marks each pass at its own distance
• Exports - GPX files contain one waypoint per POI with the full pass summary in its comment; FIT course points and the printed report include one entry per pass, so your device cues you each time

Toggle the feature in Settings → Preferences → Detect multiple passes (on by default). Turning it off collapses each POI back to a single entry.

Search Results

POI List (Sidebar)

Search results appear in the sidebar, grouped by category. Each row shows:

• Category icon and name - the name is what the popup edits; the row itself opens the POI
• Distance from the start - how far along the route you meet it
• Distance from the route - how far off the path it sits
• Estimated time - when you'd arrive, once a speed or start time is set
• Pass badge - on routes that pass a POI more than once (see Multi-Pass POIs above)
• Star, flag and delete - the three icons on the right of each row

Click a row to open the POI's popup, which carries the rest: the editable name, which side of the road it's on (L or R), distance to the end of the route, opening hours where OpenStreetMap has them, and any notes.

Filtering the list

The icons in the POI list header narrow what you see. None of them delete anything, and none of them change what an export contains:

• Sort - switch between grouping by category and ordering by distance along the route
• Map view - show only the POIs currently visible on the map
• Starred and Flagged - show only starred, or only flagged, POIs
• Search - filter the list by name
• List each pass separately - appears above the list on routes that pass the same POI more than once
• Delete all except starred & flagged - a one-click clear-out that keeps everything you've marked

Map Markers

• Color-coded by category group for easy identification (a group's colour, and a single category's, can both be overridden)
• Each marker carries its category's icon; a starred POI gets an orange ring and a flagged one a purple ring
• Click marker to open popup with actions:
  • Navigation Buttons - Move between POIs in route order directly from the popup.
  • OSM Tags - View useful amenity icons like toilets, WiFi, ATM, and more directly in the popup.
  • Edit POI name
  • View full details
  • Delete POI
  • Center map on POI
  • View on OpenStreetMap website
• Right-click on any marker or POI list item for quick actions:
  • Zoom to POI - Center the map on the POI
  • Star / Unstar - Add or remove a star
  • Flag/Remove Flag - Flag or unflag the POI
  • Edit POI - Open the edit popup
  • Add Note - Attach a custom note to the POI
  • Move POI - Drag the marker to reposition it
  • Change Icon - Select a custom emoji icon for the POI
  • Copy Coordinates - Copy name and lat/lon to clipboard
  • Open in Google Maps - View the POI location in Google Maps
  • Open in Street View - Drop into Google Street View at the POI
  • Open in OpenStreetMap - View the POI on the OSM website
  • View Photos & Wikipedia - Look for street-level photos and a Wikipedia entry for the spot
  • Delete POI - Remove from the list

Map Context Menu

Right-click anywhere on the map (not on a POI) for additional options:

• Location Info:
  • Coordinates - Shows lat/lon of clicked point
  • Copy Coordinates - Copy to clipboard
  • Address - The nearest address, looked up as the menu opens, with its own copy button
• POI Actions:
  • Add POI Here - Create a manual POI at this location
  • Query POIs at Location - Search for all POIs within 100m
  • Query Closest POI - Find and display the single nearest POI
• Route Info (when a route is loaded):
  • Distance from Start - Distance along route to nearest point
  • Distance to End - Remaining distance to the end of route
  • Elevation at Point - Elevation at the nearest route point
  • Time from Start - Elapsed time to this point (clock time shown if start time is set)
  • Split Route Here - Cut the route in two at this point (only where a split is possible)
  • Route Settings - Only when more than one route is loaded
• Map Controls: (icon buttons)
  • Centre on Route - Zoom to fit the entire route
  • Zoom In/Out - Adjust zoom at clicked location
• External Links:
  • Open in Google Maps - View location in Google Maps
  • Open in Street View - Drop into Google Street View here
  • Open in OpenStreetMap - View in OSM at same zoom
  • View Photos & Wikipedia - Street-level photos and any Wikipedia entry for the spot
• Undo / Redo - The last change, named, so you can see what you're undoing
• Export GPX - Quick access to export your route

Press ESC to close any context menu.

Changing Custom POI Type

For manually-added POIs (Info, Alert, Danger, Event Sticker), you can change the type directly from the popup:

• Click the type badge (the colored pill showing "Info", "Alert", etc.)
• Select a new type from the dropdown
• The marker color and icon will update to match the new type

Multi-Pass POI Detection

For out-and-back routes, the system automatically detects when you'll pass the same POI multiple times:

• A badge on the list row names the pass: Outbound 1/2, Return 2/2, or Pass 2/3 on routes with three or more
• Every pass has its own distance along the route; the popup lists them all
• Tick List each pass separately above the list to give every pass its own row
• Useful for loops and out-and-back routes

Fuel Prices & Station Information

When you search for petrol stations (fuel) along your route, PitStopper automatically fetches live fuel prices, opening hours, and station amenities for stations in the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy. This data appears directly in the POI popup when you click on a fuel station marker.

More on the blog: Fuel Prices & Opening Times Across Europe.

What You'll See

• Live fuel prices - Current prices for all available fuel types at the station
• Opening hours - Full weekly schedule with open/closed status for right now
• Station amenities - Facilities like toilets, car wash, water, EV charging, and more
• Station badges - Motorway/Autoroute and Supermarket indicators where applicable

Supported Regions

How It Works

• Search for Petrol Stations as a POI category (in the Food & Drink group)
• Fuel data is fetched in the background after your POI search completes - no extra steps needed
• The system detects which country each station is in based on its coordinates
• Results are cached for 30 minutes in your browser to avoid repeated API calls
• A loading spinner appears briefly on popups while data is being fetched

Query POIs - Location-Based Search

The Query POIs feature works like OpenStreetMap's "Query Features" tool, allowing you to click any location on the map and discover ALL nearby points of interest within a 100-meter radius. This search is completely independent of your sidebar category selections.

How to Use Query POIs

1. Click the Query Button - Click the question mark icon () in the right-side map controls. It's always available; if you're zoomed out past level 15 the map zooms in for you, so the point you click is precise enough to be worth querying
2. Click the Map - Your cursor changes to a question mark; click any location you want to explore
3. View Results - An orange pulsing marker appears with an expanding circle animation, and results display in a new "Query Results" section at the top of the sidebar

Query Results Section

Results appear in a distinctive orange-bordered panel with the following features:

• Location coordinates - Exact lat/lng of your query point
• Search radius - Shows the 100m search distance, with a Search 500m button to widen it if the first look came back thin
• Results count - Total POIs found
• Organized by category - POIs grouped by type (restaurants, shops, parks, etc.)
• Distance from query point - Each POI shows its distance from where you clicked
• Orange markers - Query results display with distinctive orange markers on the map

Adding Query Results to Your Project

• Individual POIs - Click the Add button next to any POI in the results list
• Add All - Click Add All to add every query result at once
• Clear - Click Clear to remove the query results section and its orange markers

Key Differences from Standard POI Search

Best Use Cases

• Exploring unfamiliar areas - "What's at this location?"
• Finding specific services - Click near a town center to see all available amenities
• Discovering hidden POIs - May find interesting places not in your selected categories
• Quick local search - Faster than selecting multiple categories for a small area
• Urban exploration - Dense city areas typically return 50-500 POIs

Search Area - Draw a Shape

Search Area lets you draw a shape on the map and find every point of interest inside it. Unlike a POI search along your whole route, this searches a bounded area you draw, with a category selection you choose just for that search - independent of your sidebar filters. It's a third way to search, alongside the route corridor and the location-based Query POIs.

Drawing a Rectangle

1. Open the POI menu and choose Search Area
2. Drag a box on the map around the area you want to search
3. A panel replaces the sidebar and counts what's inside the box. It then lists only the categories that actually have something there, each with its count - and it starts with whatever you already have selected. Ticking a box is the search: POIs appear as you tick, and a group's own checkbox takes all of it at once
4. Click Done when you're happy. The shape comes off the map and the POIs you ticked stay

Drawing a Polygon

For an area that isn't a neat rectangle, choose POI → Search Area (Polygon), or use the shape button () in the right-side map controls, to draw a freeform polygon:

• Click on the map to drop points - three or more make a shape
• Drag any point to move it, or drag one of the mid-point handles to add a new point on that edge
• Double-click, press Enter, or click the first point again to finish and open the category picker
• Escape abandons the shape you're drawing

A finished shape - box or polygon - keeps its handles, so you can reshape it afterwards. The counts and the POIs on screen follow the new outline.

Results

Matching POIs appear on the map and in your POI list as you tick categories. They behave like any other POI - you can star them, add notes, and include them in exports. To remove them, use POI → Clear Area Search, which clears both the shape and its results. Anything you starred or flagged is kept: those graduate to ordinary POIs and survive the clear.