A method for operating a navigation device provides a driver with the option of being presented with an overview of the route lying ahead in addition to a detailed illustration of the current position along the route section, namely without any complicated interactions with the navigation device. This navigation device independently changes the scale of the display of the route on the display means in dependence on a manually selected operating mode. The advantage of this method can be seen in a semi-automated solution that always enables the driver to decide exactly which information should be displayed by his navigation device at which time.