Public transport in Melbourne: new suite of timetable apps coming

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Melbourne Age --> Public transport in Melbourne: new suite of timetable apps coming

Melburnians will get access to a whole galaxy of new and improved public transport apps, with Public Transport Victoria finally bowing to pressure to release long-awaited timetable data.

The new data, set to be released in March, means Google Maps' public transport feature will finally function in Melbourne, rather than returning "no route found", as it currently does when public transport directions are requested.

When the data is released, users can get GPS directions exactly as they do for driving but the map will direct them to bus and train stops instead. With the new data, Google Maps can even take into account when the next bus or tram is scheduled and direct users to the most efficient route.

At a press conference on Thursday, Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said work had started on providing Google with the public transport data it needed. Labor had committed to release the timetable data during last year's election.

A range of other apps currently available in other cities are now also likely to come to Melbourne.

One application for example, Triptastic, allows users to visualise all their possible route options from a single stop.

The government's reluctance to release the data means Melbourne has lagged far behind other major cities in Australia and worldwide.

All of Australia's states and territories, with the exception of Victoria, have released their public transport data in the format. Adelaide has been offering the data since at least 2011, and now goes a step further, offering real-time public transport updates ...