Three Google Maps features for public transport that will make commuting easier for Indians
Keeping with its India-first approach, Google Maps is rolling out three public transport-related features to make it easier for Indian commuters.
Gone are the days when commuting meant stopping at every point and asking strangers for directions. Whether you are traveling within the city or planning a vacation nearby, exploring places and commuting from point A to point B has been made easier by Google Maps, the navigation app from the internet giant which is used by over a billion travelers across the world.
Of late, though, Google has been focusing on a legion of India-first features – and its latest introduction is simply going to be a delight for daily commuters. Aimed at providing more than just the ability to navigate between places, Google Maps is rolling out three new features meant to assist people who rely heavily on public transport.
Based on live traffic, the first of these features will now tell a commuter the approximate time it will take for a bus trip.
“This uses the power of Google’s live traffic data and public bus schedules to calculate delays and provide accurate travel times,” the company announced in its official blog post. “This is the first product of its kind -- launching first in India -- enabling you to know how long your bus trip will take when factoring in live traffic conditions.”
Ten major Indian cities, including Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, Lucknow, Chennai, Mysuru, Coimbatore, and Surat will be able to avail this option soon.
In addition to this, Google Maps is also introducing a feature to check real-time status for long-distance trains. Developed in partnership with the Where is My Train app, which Google acquired last year, this feature lets users check all the train traveling on a certain route.
The third and the final feature offers direction results for journeys that combine mixed mode of transport like auto-rickshaw and other public transports.
“The public transport tab on Google Maps for Android will now tell you when taking such a journey is a good option, how long it will take, which station you should take an auto-rickshaw to/from,” the company said.
As of now, this mixed-mode option will be rolled out for Delhi and Bengaluru, and will eventually be extended to more cities.
