---
title: "Tracing and Telling: From GPX Tracks to KML Stories"
description: "GPX shows where you went. KML explains what it means. With Komoot and AI, maps become not just navigation tools but narratives."
url: "https://hoeijmakers.net/gpx-kml-ai-maps/"
date: 2025-10-01
updated: 2026-04-25
author: "Rob Hoeijmakers"
site: "hoeijmakers.net"
language: "en"
tags: []
---

# Tracing and Telling: From GPX Tracks to KML Stories

Most of my recent writing has been on the heavy side: regulation, AI strategy, the politics of data. This time, I wanted something lighter. For years I had a wish: to really understand the difference between GPX and KML. These formats have been around for decades, yet I never quite grasped how they complemented each other.

With ChatGPT, I finally sorted it out and it didn’t stop at theory. The model can also generate the files directly, so instead of just reading about it, I was able to *make* maps. And that turned out to be surprisingly fun and practical.

## Quick takeaways

**- **GPX = the track**: where you’ve been or want to go.- **Komoot = the practical layer**: my go-to for planning and tracing routes, instead of a bike computer.- **KML = the meaning layer**: adding stories, photos, and context.- **AI link**: ChatGPT can generate both GPX and KML files, turning ideas into working maps.- **Concrete use**: I built a bike route past all the big consultancy and accountancy firms in Amsterdam.## Reflection

The distinction is straightforward: GPX is the trace; KML is the enrichment. Komoot helps in between by making planning easy. But the real shift comes when you combine these with AI.As an experiment, I asked ChatGPT to generate a KML file with the major consultancy and accountancy firms in Amsterdam. I loaded it into Google Maps, connected the dots, and created a route that linked them all.From there, I exported the map as a **KML**, converted it to **GPX** using GPS Visualizer, and imported the GPX into **Komoot**. Suddenly, I didn’t just have an abstract map, I had a rideable route on my phone, ready to follow in real life.Komoot kept me on track while riding, turning the experiment into a tangible experience. What started as a playful idea with AI-generated data became an actual cycling route through Amsterdam’s corporate landscape.## Closing

It’s oddly satisfying to see these long-standing technical formats turn into something concrete and functional in my own life. GPX gives the trace, Komoot helps me plan, and KML lets me build context. With AI as a bridge, maps are no longer just navigational tools, they are becoming ways to explore, to teach, and to tell earth bound stories.The **Big Four**** ([Deloitte](https://www.deloitte.com/global/en.html?icid=site_selector_global), [PwC](https://www.pwc.com/gx/en.html), [EY](https://www.ey.com/en_gl), [KPMG](https://kpmg.com/xx/en.html)) dominate accountancy; the ****MBB**** firms ([McKinsey](https://www.mckinsey.com), [BCG](https://www.bcg.com), [Bain](https://www.bain.com)) lead strategy consulting; and [****Roland Berger****](https://www.rolandberger.com/en/), from Germany, shows how Europe has its own global player, with Amsterdam as one of the key hubs.

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**Related**
- [Komoot | Find, plan and share your adventures](https://www.komoot.com)