transportforlondon
Latest
Tube Map Live for iOS displays real-time Tube movements
Tube Map Live (free) for iOS displays real-time data on tube train movements as they make their way around London. It's the latest app to come from developer Andy Drizen, who recently brought us Tube Tracker (US$2.99), which is a superb app for navigating your way around the London tube network. Essentially, Tube Map Live is the Transport for London (TfL) underground map with little circular train graphics representing tube trains as they move in and out of underground stations around the network. Train movement is based on a combination of officially supplied data from TfL and the same algorithm used in Tube Tracker to provided the most accurate train information. However, Drizen does provide a disclaimer stating info from TfL is not always 100 percent accurate, so things can look a bit odd from time to time. But by and large, the app gives you a pretty informative bird's-eye view of the tube network. Viewing the map with all the trains moving around at once can be a little overwhelming, so Tube Map Live has a few features to help make things a bit clearer. First, train lines can be de-selected from the map (removing the train info from that line). Second, each circular train graphic has a border shaded the color of the line it's traveling on. Third, a user can tap on a train to see its destination (for example, a Central Line train going to White City or Woodford via Hainault). Finally, at the bottom of the screen is a scrolling bar with current line information. If all that isn't enough, tap on "more," which takes you to the Tube Tracker app if you've got it installed. Though I love Tube Tracker for planning a journey and getting very specific info on train times, Tube Map Live is fantastic for those moments when you just need to view the TfL tube map with the additional benefit of seeing live train movement information. It's also plain good fun to watch and observe the trains going about their business, especially if you're a train aficionado. At night, the map also displays ghost trains (trains that move around the network, but are not for public use), displayed with a blue, scary-looking ghost train face!
Tube Tracker for iOS helps you get around London's Underground, Overground and DLR
Tube Tracker (US$2.99) is the ideal companion for those traveling London's Tube (underground train service), the DLR (Docklands Light Rail) and the London Overground rail service. I've lived in London for over 12 years. Almost everyday I use London's rail network in one form or another to get around the city. To this day, every now and again, I still get excited about using the network. I get overwhelmed by its sheer scale, size and the complexity of it. It's simply an incredible feat of engineering. According to the Transport for London website, there were 1.1 million passenger journeys on the Tube in the 2011 - 2012 period. There are stations and tunnels dozens of meters underground. It is incredible! However, there are days, more often than not, when I can't stand to be on the network. Unexpected delays, overcrowding and getting lost are very real problems train travelers face in London. That's where Tube Tracker comes in. I've spent the last few days using Tube Tracker and I've found it to be one of the most comprehensive apps I've used to navigate the London Underground, DLR and London Overground. When you first open the app, you're presented with a list of stations from the nearest to the farthest from you. Tube Tracker uses your iPhone's GPS to indicate how far away you are from a station -- to the nearest meter -- as well as displaying a GPS compass next to each station to point you in the direction of that station. The colors of the train lines that operate through each station are shown next to the name of each station, so from a glance you can easily see which station you need to get to in order to catch the train you're looking for. For example, if you need the Central Line, which is identified with red, simply scroll down until you see some red next to a station name. As well as the station list being populated according to location, you can also set the list to either show recent stations visited or stations you've indicated as favorites because you've starred them. When you tap on a station name, you're shown a map of the station as well as the platforms at the station. Tapping on the platforms shows you a list of trains due and how long it will be until they arrive. %Gallery-193475% For me, the above features alone are incredibly useful. Say I need to catch a train to Highbury & Islington, which is on the London Overground line, indicated by an orange color. I open Tube Tracker and see that the nearest station to me is Shoreditch High Street, a London Overground Station at 460 meters away. I know that Shoreditch High Street serves the London Overground line because the orange color is displayed next to that station name. I tap on the station name and see that from platform one, a train will arrive for Highbury & Islington in three minutes, then a Dalston Junction train in eight minutes and then another Highbury & Islington train in 11 minutes. Just from a glance and a single tap, I now know what time I need to leave, which train I need to catch, when it will arrive and which platform it will arrive on. This information is pulled directly from Transport For London (TFL), so if there are any delays or cancellations, it will be updated here. Extremely useful! On top of that, Tube Tracker also has a complete and searchable TFL map, live service updates, a journey planner, first and last train times, offline mode and service update alerts, which can be set by date, time and train line. This really is a comprehensive and extensive list of features. I've really enjoyed using Tube Tracker over the last few days. It's well-designed and particularly easy to read and navigate. If you're a Londoner or you're planning on visiting London anytime soon, Tube Tracker is most certainly worth checking out. If you're looking for a couple Underground app alternatives (one of them free), check out fellow Londoner and TUAW blogger Michael Grothaus' post here featuring two of his favorite apps to navigate the Underground.
Transport for London launches prize to design accessible travel app
App developers in the United Kingdom take note: Transport for London has launched a prize for developers who are able to create London public transport apps that cater to users with physical or communication barriers. In a recent blog posting, the TFL recognized that for years, mobile applications have been helping disabled people better assimilate information. They hope offering up to a £5000 prize in an Accessible App competition will spur a growth in the number of London transport apps that disabled people have available to them. "The primary objective is to focus the functionality around the needs of the passenger group. Blind or partially sighted passengers, deaf or hearing-impaired passengers and those with learning or motor difficulties could all benefit from the clever use of phone functions, good design and useful features to access our services," TFL said on its website. "Older people who find conventional information challenging may also benefit from a design that allows minimal interaction, easy route planning, simple navigation and journey guidance. What you design is up to you." A submitted app needn't address the needs of all disabled passengers. For example, the developer could solely focus on designing an app for older people who find conventional information challenging. Another developer could design an app solely to help blind people navigate. The key is simplicity and prizes will be awarded in several different categories. In order to be eligible, apps must be submitted to the TFL by Friday, August 30, 2013. Guidelines of what the judges are looking for in accessible London travel apps can be found here.
Happy 150th birthday, London Underground! Two great tube apps to celebrate
As of yesterday, the London Underground is officially 150 years old. Way back on January 10, 1863, London's Tube became the first mass transit underground railway in the world. And what started as just seven stops on one line between Paddington and Farringdon stations has now grown into a massive rail network of more than 11 lines and 270 stations, which carries almost 4 million Londoners a day. In honor of the Tube's birthday I thought I'd list my two favorite apps to help me navigate London's iconic railway. While Transport for London doesn't have an official app, it does make its data available to developers. In the past two years I've tried virtually every Tube app out there; the following are the ones I believe every Londoner, or visitor, should have on their iPhone. Tube Tamer: London Journey Planner (Free) By far, Tube Tamer is the slickest, fastest and most pleasing London Tube app out there. Launch the app, enter your start and end stations, choose your departure time and tap search. Your journey options are displayed in a easy to navigate list. Or, if you don't know your stations, you can get directions by entering an address, post code or point of interest. The place search is powered by Google, so you know your results will be accurate. The power of this app lies in its simplicity. It's fast and easy to use -- something that comes in handy when you want to catch the next available train. Tube Map Pro (US$1.99/UK£1.49) Tube Map Pro is another great choice for navigating London's Underground. I don't use it as much as Tube Tamer because its UI is a little more convoluted. Then again, Tube Map Pro also does more than Tube Tamer. The app uses officially licensed maps from Transport for London that allow users to easily see an overview of the entire transport network and find out how to quickly get from one point to another. Besides maps and route-planning, the app uses GPS to show you the closest station to you, features live departure boards and lets you track the balance of your Oyster card (the Tube's ticketing system) right in the app. Are you a fellow Londoner? Have a favorite Tube app? Let me know in the comments!
London buses now accept NFC contactless payments, if you have the magic logo
Transport for London has emailed customers to announce the activation of NFC contactless payments on the city's fleet of 8,500 buses, despite any hiccups on the tube. From today, anyone who swipes a debit, credit, or charge card with the logo shown after the break should theoretically be allowed onboard for the same single fare as a traditional Oyster Card user. That's £1.35 instead of the £2.30 cash fare. The logo can also be found on Orange's Quick Tap-enabled Galaxy S III, but the official email makes no explicit mention of any smartphones being compatible. If you have the guts to swipe your GS III over the reader and test it, please let us know if it works (and it's probably better to try it discreetly, in case it doesn't). Customers are also being advised to avoid swiping wallets which contain two potential payment methods -- such as an NFC card and an RFID-based Oyster Card -- so they can control which card gets billed.
The best London transport app for the Olympics or anytime
A few weeks ago I wrote an article highlighting the best London transportation apps for visitors coming to the London Olympics. In my article I divided the apps based on mode of transport: tube, bus, car, boat, and bicycle. Shortly after the article went live I was having dinner with some old friends from Apple who were visiting the city; they told me about an app they've recently found that helps them get around London: the aptly-named London Transport. After using it for a week, I can say that this is the best London transportation app I've ever used and anyone who lives here or is thinking of visiting London should download it immediately. London Transport is a joy to use, and it's especially intuitive for those of you who are used to looking at search results from Transport for London's official website. Matter of fact, the app is so good, I'm comfortable suggesting that it should become TFL's official app (as they currently don't have one). Launch London Transport and you'll be able plan a journey via virtually any mode of London transportation available: tube, bus, cycle hire, DLR, taxi and minicab, boat, tram, or road. You can bookmark your favorite locations, tube stops, or address for quick access when planning routes, and set a home location so you can simply tap the "Take me home" button to see the quickest options for getting you home. In addition to the navigation capabilities and real-time departure board updates, the app also shows you your Oyster Card balance and even the closest locations where you can top up your card. I could go on and on about the myriad features this app offers, but instead I'll just tell you to check out the gallery below and then go and download it and use it for yourself. London Transport is US$4.99 in the App Store. %Gallery-161742%
London Underground: NFC mobile payment technology 'too slow' for the tube
While it's tested the idea several times in the past, London's Tube system won't be getting mobile-based payment technology any time soon. Customer Experience Director Shashi Verma told GigaOM that existing NFC technology wasn't able to drop below the 500 millisecond barrier -- something which Transport for London demands from its high-churn Oyster card-based turnstiles. Verma added, "The concerns are only around NFC technology and not EMV. We are keen to see any progress the industry can make in this area." At least for the near-future, it looks like Brits will have to glue their NFC cards to their phones if they want that contactless payment look while journeying around London.
Virgin Media activates more tube WiFi hotspots, minds the gaps in its coverage
Virgin Media has flicked the switch and coated Kings Cross and Warren Street tube stations in gloriously free WiFi. The pair will be joined tomorrow by Oxford Circus and Green Park, while Victoria and Euston will do the same on the 9th. In order to use the service, which is free during the Olympics, users need to hop onto the network and register their email address. Once the summer is over, Virgin Media customers will get preferential treatment on the network, with everyone else buying pay-as-you-go minutes so they can tweet about how long we're stuck at Edgware Road... again.
Virgin Media names the first 80 tube stations to get WiFi hotspots
Transport for London and Virgin Media have announced the first 80 London Underground stations that'll receive free WiFi in time for the Olympics. By the end of July, users will be able to surf from the train platform, ticket offices and escalators -- ideal for a few extra rush-hour injuries. The partnership will offer the internet free during the games season before switching to a pay-as-you-go model, with plans to swell the network to 120 by the end of the year. If you'd like to know if your morning commute is about to get some extra connectivity then head past the break for the full list.
London's Eco-Routemaster launches today, magical mystery tour ends in Clapton
Very lucky commuters using the number 38 between Victoria and Hackney will find themselves touring the nation's capital on the first of London's new Eco-Routemasters. The first paying passengers journey aboard the vehicle at midday today, which was designed in London and built in Ireland, ending a process that started in July 2008. A further seven of the hybrid buses will arrive at a rate of one every fortnight until the fleet (of eight out of the 68 needed for the route) is complete at the end of May. The fuel-efficient vehicle gets 11.6mpg, nothing to your average Prius, but a miracle to a city whose buses normally average half that. It will also mark a return for the good old Bus Conductor, except all they'll be responsible for is ensuring people board and exit safely from that legendary rear door -- if you want a ticket, you'll still have to talk to the driver.
Meet London's new Eco-Routemaster, same as the old Routemaster (video)
The English can't resist a good retro revival: we fell back in love with the new Mini and Doctor Who, so now it's time to do the same with the eco-friendly revamp of the Routemaster bus. Packed with a hybrid engine that doubles the fuel efficiency of a standard diesel (at 11.6mpg -- but it's a bus, so that's a lot) but producing only half the emissions. It'll carry 87 passengers and the vehicle heralds the return of the rear-door, so when it's stuck in traffic, you can safely hop-off and walk the rest of the way. A fleet of eight buses will run London's "38" route from early next year and you can watch the prototype being hand-built in the video we've got for you after the interval.
London scraps plans for cellular coverage on the tube, bums Huawei out
Technical complexity and financial naiveté have meant that London's ambitious plans to cover its underground train network with cellular signal by the 2012 Olympics are hitting the scrapheap. In spite of Huawei's most generous offer to provide £50 million ($81m) of equipment for the project for free, the London Mayor's wish that UK mobile operators be the ones to foot the installation bill -- without a penny coming out of public coffers -- has unsurprisingly found little favor. Compounded with the logistical hellride of trying to get everything up and running by next summer, that's now led to a mutual agreement among all parties concerned to abandon the project. Mind you, the plans to get WiFi up at 120 stations in time for the Olympics are still on track, so at least we'll be able to pull down some data before diving into those dark, damp tunnels.
