This session takes a deeper look at the ORSTools plugin. We will go through several analyses which the plugin enables and which features it provides. This includes both using the processing algorithms for in-depth analyses as well as using it as a tool for personal route planning, similar to existing solutions such as gMaps or Komoot.

We will also have a look at the newer, lesser used API endpoints and show how they can be used to improve route planning to support more specialized use cases.

What you will learn in the workshop:
1. Basic usage of ORSTools as a personal route planning tool.
2. Automatic calculation of routes from pre-existing data, using different transport modes and customizable constraints (e.g., avoiding highways or toll roads).
3. Reachability analysis using isochrones, which calculates accessibility areas based on time or distance. This supports multiple start points and transport modes for realistic location analysis.
4. Calculation of large-scale time and distance matrices that enable the analysis of travel times and distances between a multitude of points.
5. Automating all the above processes using QGIS Model Builder to streamline workflows and enable reproducible analyses.

For steps 2 and 3, some example data will be provided. You are invited to also bring your own.

What to do before participating:

• Acquire some basic knowledge of QGIS
• Sign up for an account at openrouteservice.org
• Install the latest version of the ORSTools Plugin (or do it during the workshop)

All workshop materials can be found here: https://workshops.heigit.org/orstools-workshop-qgis-uc2025/intro.html