For people who use either of these apps, what advantages do they offer over google maps transit directions? I live in Chicago and only use google maps but I would love to use something else that is more accurate with bus timings.
I use Citymapper all the time for the NYC subway, and I recommend it to everyone I meet.
1. Most accurate arrival times (this matters _a lot_ for transfers)
2. If your trip has transfers, it takes into account how long it takes to walk between platforms (some apps assume its instant, but if it's a large station it can take the better part of 10 minutes to get to another train)
3. Tells you which part of the train (forward, middle, back) to sit in so you're closest to the exit when you get off
4. Service changes are accurate and automatically included in the routing
5. Powerful routing options -- if it's raining, you can prioritize routes with less walking, or if you have a Citibike membership you can create routes that combine biking + transit, etc.
It's honestly good enough that I pay $20/year for it. Every once in a while I give Apple Maps or Transit a shot, but they're just not on the same level.
4. Service changes are accurate and automatically included in the routing
I'm not sure if this is the case with Citymapper. Transit does offer alternatives, but I don't think I've ever encountered this with Citymapper, i.e., you're committed to a particular route once you start. With Transit, I often get a suggestion (while on the train) that I might not make it in time for my connection with X train, and the next Y train leaves in Z minutes. I feel with Citymapper I only get something like this if alternate trains were part of the initial route segment, eg, N/R/Q trains. I also feel Citymapper does a much worse job updating ETAs or arrival times for alternative trains than Transit.
I agree, that's my biggest frustration with Citymapper. I wasn't aware Transit handled that better, I might have to give it another shot. But by "service changes," I was actually referring to trains being re-routed by the MTA -- like when the F was running on the E line in Manhattan a few weekends ago.
I was actually referring to trains being re-routed by the MTA -- like when the F was running on the E line in Manhattan a few weekends ago.
Ah. To be fair, I think all the apps do this now, including Google and Apple Maps.
Regarding alternate routes with Citymapper, I kind of wish it offered me alternates that don't necessarily include the original end station. I find I often end trips at stations I'm supposed to switch trains at and find routes to different stations than my initial route that still save time.
For London at least, better routing, more accurate timings, and also accurate updates on things like strikes. It used to be significantly better but Google Maps released an update a few years ago that makes the gap relatively small though, but it is still better.
It's also surprisingly useful to have two mapping apps on mobile devices which otherwise make it difficult to have two separate routes open at once.
In Paris, France, Citymapper is very accurate about subway timings, walk timings, which exit to use, ... it's the most precise and efficient transit app available here from my experience.
In London, Citymapper shows the cost of each trip which can be very useful as there are often many routes that might take a similar amount of time but cost different (eg. sometimes you can take skip zone 1 for a few extra minutes or understand why you're paying extra when taking a train instead of tube in South London). It also recommends the best exit to take quite accurately for train/tube stations.
Citymapper is also much quicker to incorporate changed schedules and excludes delayed / cancelled trains from results within minutes of the changes being announced.
For altered schedules, Google is not only slower to react but also just posts a generic link to the TfL website - and you then have to parse the TfL notice yourself to understand which stations / bus stops are closed etc. The routes suggested by Google also still include cancelled trains / buses - it's your job to double check by visiting the TfL / train operator's websites.
Citymapper incorporates transit delays/outages. When I switched from using Google Maps several years ago, they didn't, and I haven't had much of a reason to switch back. Big difference between "based on average times, this is the fastest route" and "based on the latest information, this is the fastest route".
I think all the big apps use live transit info now. That said, Citymapper actively surfaces that it's rerouting because of cancellations on XYZ train, which is very helpful information. I don't see Google or Apple Maps suggesting routes with cancelled trains either, but without that information front and center it can be confusing if it's not a regular route.
Via is not a general-purpose transit system. Via is an on-demand customizable van service that is often used by municipalities. It would be a ride type in Citymapper, not a competitor to Citymapper.
Some cities, like the Park City area in Utah, integrate the busses and Via vans into a single app to optimize the use of both. Citymapper could do this in-app in the future, creating chained transit options.
I also live in Chicago and use CityMapper almost exclusively now. It gives way more detailed estimates for multiple transfers between bus and train and generally comes up with more/better routes for weird destinations.
In Chicago google maps will show live bus info with the busses location on the map. However some of these are “ghost” busses and they don’t really exist.
Huh. In NYC I've had issues with routes designed around scheduled buses that were subsequently cancelled, but I feel I've only had that happen on Transit and not CityMapper. Live bus location on the map for a bus that isn't running is definitely news to me though.
I enabled (silent) push notifications for the routes and lines I use going to and from work. It is more convenient than searching for a route every time or visiting the transit agency website.
I use CityMapper solely for train and bus maps. I'm probably a minority, considering how increasingly hidden the maps button ends up getting with each release.
when I lived in NY / Philly, Citymapper was way ahead of Google maps in terms of transit info.
since moving to live in europe, I haven't had much use for Citymapper.
Comments
For people who use either of these apps, what advantages do they offer over google maps transit directions? I live in Chicago and only use google maps but I would love to use something else that is more accurate with bus timings.
I use Citymapper all the time for the NYC subway, and I recommend it to everyone I meet.
1. Most accurate arrival times (this matters _a lot_ for transfers)
2. If your trip has transfers, it takes into account how long it takes to walk between platforms (some apps assume its instant, but if it's a large station it can take the better part of 10 minutes to get to another train)
3. Tells you which part of the train (forward, middle, back) to sit in so you're closest to the exit when you get off
4. Service changes are accurate and automatically included in the routing
5. Powerful routing options -- if it's raining, you can prioritize routes with less walking, or if you have a Citibike membership you can create routes that combine biking + transit, etc.
It's honestly good enough that I pay $20/year for it. Every once in a while I give Apple Maps or Transit a shot, but they're just not on the same level.
I'm not sure if this is the case with Citymapper. Transit does offer alternatives, but I don't think I've ever encountered this with Citymapper, i.e., you're committed to a particular route once you start. With Transit, I often get a suggestion (while on the train) that I might not make it in time for my connection with X train, and the next Y train leaves in Z minutes. I feel with Citymapper I only get something like this if alternate trains were part of the initial route segment, eg, N/R/Q trains. I also feel Citymapper does a much worse job updating ETAs or arrival times for alternative trains than Transit.
I agree, that's my biggest frustration with Citymapper. I wasn't aware Transit handled that better, I might have to give it another shot. But by "service changes," I was actually referring to trains being re-routed by the MTA -- like when the F was running on the E line in Manhattan a few weekends ago.
Ah. To be fair, I think all the apps do this now, including Google and Apple Maps.
Regarding alternate routes with Citymapper, I kind of wish it offered me alternates that don't necessarily include the original end station. I find I often end trips at stations I'm supposed to switch trains at and find routes to different stations than my initial route that still save time.
For London at least, better routing, more accurate timings, and also accurate updates on things like strikes. It used to be significantly better but Google Maps released an update a few years ago that makes the gap relatively small though, but it is still better.
It's also surprisingly useful to have two mapping apps on mobile devices which otherwise make it difficult to have two separate routes open at once.
In Paris, France, Citymapper is very accurate about subway timings, walk timings, which exit to use, ... it's the most precise and efficient transit app available here from my experience.
In London, Citymapper shows the cost of each trip which can be very useful as there are often many routes that might take a similar amount of time but cost different (eg. sometimes you can take skip zone 1 for a few extra minutes or understand why you're paying extra when taking a train instead of tube in South London). It also recommends the best exit to take quite accurately for train/tube stations.
Citymapper is also much quicker to incorporate changed schedules and excludes delayed / cancelled trains from results within minutes of the changes being announced.
For altered schedules, Google is not only slower to react but also just posts a generic link to the TfL website - and you then have to parse the TfL notice yourself to understand which stations / bus stops are closed etc. The routes suggested by Google also still include cancelled trains / buses - it's your job to double check by visiting the TfL / train operator's websites.
Citymapper incorporates transit delays/outages. When I switched from using Google Maps several years ago, they didn't, and I haven't had much of a reason to switch back. Big difference between "based on average times, this is the fastest route" and "based on the latest information, this is the fastest route".
I think all the big apps use live transit info now. That said, Citymapper actively surfaces that it's rerouting because of cancellations on XYZ train, which is very helpful information. I don't see Google or Apple Maps suggesting routes with cancelled trains either, but without that information front and center it can be confusing if it's not a regular route.
Via is not a general-purpose transit system. Via is an on-demand customizable van service that is often used by municipalities. It would be a ride type in Citymapper, not a competitor to Citymapper.
Some cities, like the Park City area in Utah, integrate the busses and Via vans into a single app to optimize the use of both. Citymapper could do this in-app in the future, creating chained transit options.
One advantage to me is that it’s not Google. So I’m not adding to my profile at Google and I’m not helping them consolidate their advantage.
I also live in Chicago and use CityMapper almost exclusively now. It gives way more detailed estimates for multiple transfers between bus and train and generally comes up with more/better routes for weird destinations.
Does CityMapper suffer from the same "ghost bus" phenomenon that google maps does?
What's the 'ghost bus' phenomena? I'm in NYC and don't use Google Maps.
In Chicago google maps will show live bus info with the busses location on the map. However some of these are “ghost” busses and they don’t really exist.
I think it’s a uniquely Chicago problem.
Here is an article on it: https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/cta-makes-more-changes...
Huh. In NYC I've had issues with routes designed around scheduled buses that were subsequently cancelled, but I feel I've only had that happen on Transit and not CityMapper. Live bus location on the map for a bus that isn't running is definitely news to me though.
Ghost busses are most likely an issue with the GTFS real-time data from the agency, which the app just displays.
I’ve personally also experienced the same issue with SF’s Muni.
Can’t speak for Chicago, but this is most likely the case.
As someone who has first hand experience with transit agencies, the tech infrastructure is unfortunately not to the level it should be.
That said, google isn’t always the easiest to communicate with when trying to fix such issues.
I enabled (silent) push notifications for the routes and lines I use going to and from work. It is more convenient than searching for a route every time or visiting the transit agency website.
Also, the app oozes personality.
I use CityMapper solely for train and bus maps. I'm probably a minority, considering how increasingly hidden the maps button ends up getting with each release.
when I lived in NY / Philly, Citymapper was way ahead of Google maps in terms of transit info. since moving to live in europe, I haven't had much use for Citymapper.