The invention provides a hierarchical road network-based path search method and a hierarchical road network-based path search device. The method comprises the following steps of: searching a local optimal path RSJ=(S, ..., and Ji) of a starting point S and a local optimal path RNE=(Nk, ..., and E) of a finishing point E in a preset range in a lower road network respectively, wherein a node Ji and a node Nk are nodes in an upper road network; searching a local optimal path RJN=(Ji, ..., and Nk) of the node Ji and the node Nk in the upper road network; and combining the local optimal paths to obtain an optimal path from the starting point S to the finishing point E, namely RSE=(S, ..., Ji, ..., Nk, ..., and E). In the scheme, the road network search scale is controlled by the local optimal paths of the starting point and the finishing point in the preset range; and the optimal path between the remote nodes Ji and Nk is searched in the upper road network with a small road network scale, so that the overall search scale is in a small controllable range, and path search efficiency is greatly improved.