The Isochrone, Travel Time Matrix and H3 tools each come in two versions. Core tools are faster on big jobs. Custom tools give you full control. Both are in the TravelTime toolbox, in their own toolsets.
How they compare
| Core | Custom |
Speed | Faster, especially for large matrices | Standard |
Journey time | A typical weekday morning | A date, time and time zone you choose |
Transport modes | 5: public transport, walking + ferry, cycling + ferry, driving + ferry, driving + public transport | 13, including plain walking, cycling and driving |
Maximum travel time: isochrones and matrices | 3 hours | 4 hours |
Maximum travel time: H3 | 3 hours | 10 hours |
Settings | Some transportation options | Every API parameter, including search range |
Countries | Fewer (see the list) | Every supported country |
For H3, the maximum travel time also gets shorter at the smaller cell sizes. See How to create travel-time catchments as H3 cells in ArcGIS.
Which to choose
Use Core for large jobs where speed matters, as long as it covers your country and transport mode.
Use Custom when you need public transport at a specific date and time, a transport mode Core doesn’t have, a search range, a longer journey, or a country Core doesn’t cover.
For directions as well as times, use the Routes tool. See How to create routes in ArcGIS.