Daily traveling for work is one of the everyday routines of most of us. And public transport is the most widely used transport medium. This is because it can be much easier to travel than to drive in heavy traffic. It may also be the case that you may get transport reimbursement. If so, then why not opt for this medium? If you reside in a city with a pretty good transit system, the benefits of opting for it outweigh its cons. Some advantages of public transport include:
It is a much cheaper option than private transport.It can reduce traffic congestion.More public transportation leads to less pollution.It leads to increased mobility.
But the question is, what do you do to keep up the schedule for trains, buses, subways, etc.? Don’t worry. In this post, we will be covering the best transit apps to get from A to B in your city.
How Can Transit Apps Help?
Whenever we use public transport, we want the journey to be sound, smooth, and hassle-free. Transit apps make sure that you navigate through a city with complete confidence. Whether you are a local or a tourist, a transit app can help you get answers to all such questions. These can provide essential details about traffic congestion in your route, local maps, etc. Most of the transit apps come with the following features:
Directions and MapsPublic transport schedule trackingTracking vehiclePlanning the city tripBooking tickets from mobileMaking payments etc.
Now let’s explore the best transit apps that you can use and make your journey comfortable.
Moovit: Bus & Train Schedules
Moovit is the perfect transit app for your urban mobility rides. It aims to deliver a one-stop travel experience to you for getting from A to B in a city. With this app, you can get an accurate and efficient bus and train maps, schedules, real-time navigation, and arrival information. Using this app, you can make payments for your rides. It also sends regular information and updates of service disruptions of your routine lines. It provides information on public transport for over 3400 cities across the world. This application serves more than 930 million users around the globe. Download – Android | iOS
Transit: Bus & Subway Times
If you often travel via buses or subways, this Transit app can be the perfect option for you. This app aims to offer accurate departure times, crowd conditions on the bus, and more information like this. Transit lets you stay tuned with any service disruption information. Even if you are visiting as a tourist to an unfamiliar destination, it can help you plan the trip perfectly. The best thing about this app is that it also works offline based on schedules. So, if your mobile data is exhausted, don’t worry it can still help you in your journey. Here is a list of a few cities this application serves.
Atlanta: MARTA, CCT, GRTAAustin: Capital MetroBaltimore: MTABoston: MBTA, HubwayBuffalo: NFTA, Fort Erie TransitCharlotte: CATSChicago: CTA, Metra, PACE, NICTD, DivvyCincinnati: Metro, TANKCleveland: RTAColumbus: COTA, CoGoDallas: DART, Fort Worth TDenver: RTDHampton Roads: HRTHartford (and CT): CTTransit, CTFastrakHonolulu: TheBusHouston: METROLas Vegas: RTC
Download – Android | iOS
Citymapper: All Your Transport
Citymapper is a wonderful transit app that lets you make comparisons between different travel options. You can compare across different modes of transport and in real-time. It lets you find the best routes from points A to B in a particular city. Citymapper also offers information related to directions in a turn-by-turn manner. Whether you are walking, driving, or using public transport, this app is equally useful. With this, you can avoid no parking zones, see the fares, check out wait times, and more. Some of the cities that this app serves to include: New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington DC, Boston, Philadelphia, Seattle, Miami, Atlanta, Portland, Denver, Baltimore, San Diego, Minneapolis, Houston, Phoenix, Dallas, Las Vegas, Pittsburgh, Honolulu, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, St. Louis, Cleveland, Austin, and many more. Download – Android | iOS
Whiz
Whiz is another transit app that lets you check bus and train schedules. It helps you in step-by-step navigation across a city from A to B. Whiz offers live direction information, real-time crowding details, and, journey sharing option with your friends or contacts. It also lets you receive alerts when you need to have a transfer. Its live countdown for trains and buses helps you stay informed about your journey. You can access live as well as offline maps of the selected routes. Whiz provides train and bus schedules for nearly 150 cities across North America, Europe, the UK, New Zealand, and Australia. Here is the list of a few of them:
Atlanta, GA (MARTA)Boston, MA (MBTA)Baltimore, MD (MTA)Cleveland, OH (GCRTA)Chicago, IL (CTA, Metra)Denver, CO (RTD)Columbus, OH (COTA)Las Vegas, NV (RTC Southern Nevada)Houston, TX (METRO)Miami, FL (Miami-Dade Metrorail & Metromover)Los Angeles, CA (LA Metro)Philadelphia, PA (SEPTA)Minneapolis-St Paul, MN (Metro Transit)New York City, NY (MTA Subway, MTA Bus, LIRR, Metro-North, PATH)Portland, OR (TriMet)Pittsburgh, PA (Port Authority)Salt Lake City, UT (UTA)Providence, RI (RIPTA)Seattle, WA (Sound Transit, King County Metro Transit)San Francisco, CA (BART, Muni)Washington DC (WMATA)
Download – Android | iOS
Transit Now
Transit Now is a real-time vehicle tracking app that offers a complete set of features just for free. It offers rapid and easy access to real-time information about bus departures. It lets you customize the stops the way you want. Transit also lets you get offline statistics even if you lose a network connection. Its service alerts keep you tuned about bus delays, subway closures, or more. You can share your time of arrival with your family or friends quickly. Its easy-to-use interface makes this app a must-have application for a feasible city. The supported cities include Toronto TTC, Oakland AC Transit, Boston MBTA, Laval STL, LA Metro, San Francisco SFMTA Muni, Jacksonville JTA, and more NextBus cities. Download – Android
CityTransit
CityTransit is a real-time city transit app that lets you enjoy your public transport system to the fullest. It offers accurate and quick bus and train schedules, simple trip planning information, bus locations, and more. Using this app, you can plan your travel easily from A to B. You can see on the map and find out the exact location of your vehicle. With this, you can also find out about your next train, bus, streetcar, or subway. With this, you receive transit service alerts. The services of this app are feasible in plenty of cities in the USA and Canada. Here is the partial list: USA
Baltimore: MTA *Jacksonville: JTA *Chicago: CTA *, CTA Train *, METRA *, Pace BusBoston: MBTA *NYC Metro: New York MTA *, Metro-North (MNR) *, Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) *, MTA SubwayLos Ángeles: LA Metro *, LA Metro Bus *Phoenix: Valley Metro *Philadelphia: SEPTA *
CANADA
Brampton: Brampton Transit (BT)Barrie: Barrie Transit *Edmonton: Edmonton Transit (ETS) , St Albert Transit, Strathcona County TransitCalgary: Calgary TransitHalifax: Halifax TransitGreater Sudbury: Sudbury Transit
Download – Android
ETA
ETA is a wonderful transit app designed for iOS devices. It lets you know about the travel time in different modes of transport including driving and public transport. With this, you can check out travel time for your meetings and appointments and reach your favorite destinations. It also offers real-time traffic information so you can plan your trip accordingly. It comes with beautiful widgets that can complement your home screen. These widgets also deliver valuable information about your trip. Download – iOS
Final Words
Try these apps if you favor using public transport for your routine or occasional travel. Find the best-suited option for you and enjoy a hassle-free and convenient journey without any worries. You may also want to explore the best offline navigation apps when you are lost or in a no-network condition.
