diff --git a/src/c3nav/api/schema.py b/src/c3nav/api/schema.py
index 1d1cd78e..bdda209f 100644
--- a/src/c3nav/api/schema.py
+++ b/src/c3nav/api/schema.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ from types import NoneType
 from typing import Annotated, Any, Literal, Union, ClassVar
 
 from django.core.exceptions import FieldDoesNotExist
-from django.db.models import Model, ManyToManyField
+from django.db.models import Model
 from django.utils.functional import Promise
 from ninja import Schema
 from pydantic import Discriminator
diff --git a/src/c3nav/mapdata/schemas/models.py b/src/c3nav/mapdata/schemas/models.py
index 6061fee2..0eeae829 100644
--- a/src/c3nav/mapdata/schemas/models.py
+++ b/src/c3nav/mapdata/schemas/models.py
@@ -651,7 +651,6 @@ class SlimLocationMixin(BaseSchema):
     groups: ClassVar[None]
     groups_by_category: ClassVar[None]
     geometry: ClassVar[None]
-    point: ClassVar[None]
 
 
 class SlimLevelLocationSchema(SlimLocationMixin, FullLevelLocationSchema):
diff --git a/src/c3nav/routing/api/routing.py b/src/c3nav/routing/api/routing.py
index bff6d2a8..91870812 100644
--- a/src/c3nav/routing/api/routing.py
+++ b/src/c3nav/routing/api/routing.py
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ from c3nav.mapdata.api.base import api_stats_clean_location_value
 from c3nav.mapdata.models.access import AccessPermission
 from c3nav.mapdata.models.locations import Position
 from c3nav.mapdata.schemas.model_base import AnyLocationID, Coordinates3D
+from c3nav.mapdata.schemas.models import SlimLocationSchema, SpaceSchema, LevelSchema, SlimSpaceLocationSchema, \
+    SlimLevelLocationSchema
 from c3nav.mapdata.utils.cache.stats import increment_cache_key
 from c3nav.mapdata.utils.locations import visible_locations_for_request
 from c3nav.routing.exceptions import LocationUnreachable, NoRouteFound, NotYetRoutable
@@ -128,11 +130,17 @@ class RouteItemSchema(BaseSchema):
         Annotated[None, APIField(title="null", description="no waytype (normal walking)")],
     ] = APIField(None, title="waytype")
     space: Union[
-        Annotated[dict, APIField(title="space", descripiton="new space that is being entered")],
+        Annotated[
+            SlimSpaceLocationSchema,
+            APIField(title="space", descripiton="new space that is being entered")
+        ],
         Annotated[None, APIField(title="null", description="staying in the same space")],
     ] = APIField(None, description="new space being entered")
     level: Union[
-        Annotated[dict, APIField(title="level", descripiton="new level that is being entered")],
+        Annotated[
+            SlimLevelLocationSchema,
+            APIField(title="level", descripiton="new level that is being entered")
+        ],
         Annotated[None, APIField(title="null", description="staying in the same level")],
     ] = APIField(None, description="new level being entered")
     descriptions: list[tuple[
@@ -148,8 +156,8 @@ class RouteItemSchema(BaseSchema):
 
 
 class RouteSchema(BaseSchema):
-    origin: dict  # todo: improve this
-    destination: dict  # todo: improve this
+    origin: SlimLocationSchema  # todo: is this fine? works? no issues?
+    destination: SlimLocationSchema  # todo: is this fine? works? no issues?
     distance: float
     duration: int
     distance_str: NonEmptyStr
diff --git a/src/c3nav/routing/route.py b/src/c3nav/routing/route.py
index 568151f1..43287396 100644
--- a/src/c3nav/routing/route.py
+++ b/src/c3nav/routing/route.py
@@ -12,10 +12,11 @@ def describe_location(location, locations):
         final_location = locations.get(location.pk)
         if final_location is not None:
             location = final_location
-    result = location.serialize(include_type=True, detailed=False, simple_geometry=True)
-    if hasattr(location, 'serialize_position'):
-        result.update(location.serialize_position())
-    return result
+    # todo: oh my god this needs to be improved
+    from c3nav.routing.router import BaseRouterProxy
+    if isinstance(location, BaseRouterProxy):
+        location = location.src
+    return location
 
 
 class Route:
diff --git a/src/c3nav/site/views.py b/src/c3nav/site/views.py
index 696664e3..4ce097bf 100644
--- a/src/c3nav/site/views.py
+++ b/src/c3nav/site/views.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ from django.views.decorators.cache import cache_control, never_cache
 from django.views.decorators.clickjacking import xframe_options_exempt
 from django.views.decorators.http import etag
 from django.views.i18n import LANGUAGE_QUERY_PARAMETER, set_language
+from pydantic.type_adapter import TypeAdapter
 
 from c3nav import __version__ as c3nav_version
 from c3nav.api.models import Secret
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ from c3nav.mapdata.models.access import AccessPermission, AccessPermissionToken
 from c3nav.mapdata.models.locations import (LocationGroup, LocationRedirect, Position, SpecificLocation,
                                             get_position_secret)
 from c3nav.mapdata.models.report import Report, ReportUpdate
+from c3nav.mapdata.schemas.models import SlimLocationSchema
 from c3nav.mapdata.utils.locations import (get_location_by_id_for_request, get_location_by_slug_for_request,
                                            levels_by_short_label_for_request)
 from c3nav.mapdata.utils.user import can_access_editor, get_user_data
@@ -122,9 +124,9 @@ def map_index(request, mode=None, slug=None, slug2=None, details=None, options=N
 
     state = {
         'routing': routing,
-        'origin': (origin.serialize(detailed=False, simple_geometry=True, geometry=False)
+        'origin': (TypeAdapter(SlimLocationSchema).validate_python(origin).model_dump()
                    if origin else None),
-        'destination': (destination.serialize(detailed=False, simple_geometry=True, geometry=False)
+        'destination': (TypeAdapter(SlimLocationSchema).validate_python(destination).model_dump()
                         if destination else None),
         'sidebar': routing or destination is not None,
         'details': True if details else False,