Beginner’s Guide to GeoGuessr (Using Geomastr)

How this guide will help you

GeoGuessr feels overwhelming at first: thousands of roads, signs you don’t recognise and round timers ticking down. The good news: you don’t need to memorise every tiny detail.

Instead, you’ll learn a small set of high-value clues and train them in a logical order:

• Global clues: driving side, road quality, languages, landscapes.
• Hard clues: bollards, license plates, poles, road lines, unique signage.
• Country-specific patterns: what makes each place look “obviously itself”.

Geomastr turns all of this into filtered, visual data so you can train quickly instead of digging through random screenshots.

Step 1 – Learn the global “big picture” clues

Before you dive into tiny details, you need a rough world model. These clues let you cut half the map instantly.

1.1 Driving side and road feel

In GeoGuessr, the side of the road already eliminates a huge number of countries. Spend a few sessions in Geomastr just looking at:

• Left-hand vs right-hand driving.
• Lane markings: solid vs dashed, yellow vs white, centre lines vs edge lines.
• Road “vibe”: wide highways, village tracks, red dirt, brand-new tarmac, etc.

1.2 Languages and scripts

Your next big filter is the writing:

• Latin alphabet vs Cyrillic vs Arabic vs Asian scripts.
• Accent marks and letters (ç, ñ, ø, å, ű, etc.).
• Common patterns like “straße” (German), “ul.” (Polish), “đ” (Vietnamese), etc.

Use your existing Geomastr pages for alphabets and languages to quickly compare signs side by side. You can start in the continent overviews (for example Europe or Asia).

1.3 Climate and landscape

Finally, pay attention to:

• Vegetation: tropical vs dry vs temperate.
• Mountains vs flat plains vs rolling hills.
• Roof styles, fencing, and general building colours.

Make a quick mental note like: “This feels like dry, flat, right-hand driving Spanish-speaking country.” You’ve already narrowed things down a lot.

Step 2 – Use Geomastr to master fast country recognition

Once you have the big filters, you start winning games by recognising specific countries. This is where Geomastr shines.

2.1 Bollards

Bollards (the posts along the side of the road) are one of the most consistent country clues. On Geomastr’s bollard overview, you can:

• Compare shapes, colours and reflectors for each country.
• See them grouped by continent, so you don’t mix up similar ones.
• Train your memory by flipping between countries and trying to guess before you look.

2.2 License plates

Plates are incredibly strong when visible, especially in Europe and parts of Asia and South America. Use Geomastr’s license plates to learn:

• Which countries have blue EU strips, and on which side.
• Unique layouts (two lines vs one, spacing, colour patterns).
• Special features like flags, coats of arms or regional codes.

2.3 Poles, signs and road markings

Many countries have unique electricity pole styles, warning signs and road paint:

• Wooden vs concrete poles, cross-arm shapes, bracing.
• Shape and colour of warning signs (triangular, diamond, yellow, red borders).
• Centre line colour and whether roads have edge lines.

Visit the relevant Geomastr pages: street signs and road lines. Scroll through a single country at a time and try to phrase the difference in your own words: “In Country A, poles are thin concrete with a small cross arm; in Country B, they’re thick wooden poles.”

2.4 Build “country profiles”

For each country you struggle with, create a short profile using Geomastr:

• Driving side
• Typical bollard style
• License plate quirks
• Common languages and scripts
• Landscape notes (flat/mountainous, trees, soil colour)

A simple note app or spreadsheet is enough. Updating these after each session locks the patterns into your memory.

Step 3 – A simple 7-day training routine (15–30 minutes/day)

You don’t need hours. Consistency matters more than volume. Here’s a starter routine you can repeat or adapt.

Day 1 – Big picture only

• 10 minutes in Geomastr looking at continents and climates in the overview pages.
• 10–20 minutes of GeoGuessr world map, focusing only on: driving side, language, landscape and making a fast guess.

Day 2 – Europe bollards & plates

• 10–15 minutes on Geomastr’s European bollards.
• 10–15 minutes on European license plates.
• Play a European map and actively look for those two clues.

Day 3 – Non-Europe scripts & signs

• Use Geomastr’s alphabet and language views in the continent pages to learn to quickly spot Cyrillic, Arabic and key Asian scripts.
• Play a “world” or region map and pause on any readable sign to identify the script first, then the country.

Day 4 – Country profiles

• Pick 3–5 countries you often confuse.
• Create or update your country profiles using Geomastr’s country pages (for example Spain or Mongolia).
• Play a custom set or country streak focusing on those countries only.

Day 5 – Speed training

• Open a Geomastr page (e.g. bollards or license plates).
• Scroll slowly and try to guess the country before reading the label.
• Then play timed GeoGuessr rounds to practice quick recognition.

Day 6 – Weak spots

• Check your recent games: which regions always hurt your score?
• Spend 15–20 minutes on those regions’ clues in Geomastr (using the relevant continent or country pages).
• Finish with one focused game on that region.

Day 7 – Review & “no panic” games

• 5–10 minutes flicking through your country profiles.
• Play two relaxed games where you say your reasoning out loud: “Left-hand driving, yellow centre lines, this kind of bollard, so I think it’s X.”

Repeat this weekly, swapping in new countries or regions as you improve.

Step 4 – Using Geomastr while you play (without ruining the fun)

Geomastr works best as a training partner and post-game coach, not a live answer sheet. Here’s a balanced way to use it:

• During the game: play normally. Note what clues you saw (bollard shape, plate colour, pole style) without checking.
• After the round: open the relevant Geomastr page and check whether your memory of the clue matches reality. Adjust your mental profile.
• Between games: spend a few minutes on the countries you just missed, so the same mistake doesn’t happen twice.

This way you still play the game honestly, but you improve much faster than by guesswork alone.

Advanced tips once you’re comfortable

• Focus on one continent per week and deeply learn its bollards, plates and poles.
• Start noticing small regional differences inside countries (north vs south, coasts vs inland).
• Use Geomastr as a quick refresher before competitive games or duels.

GeoGuessr skill builds over time. The more you review consistent visual patterns, the more automatic your guesses become.

FAQ – Learning GeoGuessr with Geomastr

What are the best websites to learn GeoGuessr?

There are many good resources, but Geomastr focuses on the visual clues that matter most: bollards, plates, poles, signs and scripts. Use it together with regular GeoGuessr play and you’ll see progress quickly.

How long does it take to get better at GeoGuessr?

If you train 15–30 minutes a day using a focused routine like the one above, most players notice clear improvement within one or two weeks.

Is using Geomastr considered cheating?

It depends how you use it. Treat Geomastr as a training resource and review tool between or after games, and you’re just learning the map. Using it for live answers in competitive modes removes the challenge and isn’t recommended.

How should complete beginners start?

Start with the basics: driving side, language/script and general climate. Then add one strong clue type at a time: first bollards, then plates, then poles and signs.

Can I use Geomastr on mobile?

Yes. You can open Geomastr on your phone or tablet while you play on another device, or quickly review clues when you have a few spare minutes during the day.