Abstract: A navigation guidance system is provided which provides direction information form a remote server to a mobile user unit for guiding the user to a desired destination. The user unit may be a mobile telephone or PDA or the like. A query is input to the user unit either by text or by voice and is sent to the remote server. The mobile unit preferably includes a GPS receiver or the like so that the current location of the mobile telephone can also be transmitted to the remote server. Based on the information received from the user unit, the server determines the appropriate route guidance information and sends this back to the user unit. In a preferred form of the invention, the remote server continues to monitor the progress of the user unit in following the route guidance information and, where appropriate, sends updated route guidance information.