Apple Maps Expands Transit Directions Across Great Britain

[MacRumors]

Apple Maps has been updated with comprehensive transit data for Great Britain, beyond the London area already supported.

Transit directions by bus, train, or tram are now available within and between large metropolitan areas such as Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Sheffield, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Leeds, Bradford, Bristol, Portsmouth, Nottingham, and Cardiff, as well as other regions in England, Scotland, and Wales.

Transit coverage extends to a number of mid-size cities, small towns, and rural areas as well. Directions are available between Bath and Brighton, for example, and most other searches between any two areas in England, Scotland, and Wales yielded at least one available route in Transit mode.

Apple Maps now supports the National Rail network in many areas of Great Britain, including the CrossCountry, TransPennine Express, Great Western Railway, Grand Central, Northern Rail, East Midlands Trains, Virgin Trains, Virgin Trains East Coast, Arriva Trains Wales, Hull Trains, and other train services.

While transit coverage is now comprehensive throughout much of Great Britain, directions remain unavailable in Belfast and elsewhere in Northern Ireland, which lies within the United Kingdom. Transit directions are likewise unavailable in the neighboring Republic of Ireland.

Article Link: Apple Maps Expands Transit Directions Across Great Britain

 

[jojost1]

The Netherlands next Apple? We're not that big of a country, Google already had transit for years here..

 

[Mac Rules]

Southern Rail is easy; there are no bloody services running

 

[Porco]

Slightly ironic timing given the strike action... !

Good news though.

 

[GadgetBen]

There won't be anything running when it starts snowing

 

[GigabitEthernet]

Southern Rail is easy; there are no bloody services running

Southern Rail directions would just be to take a car.

 

[timber]

That is pretty good work.

I would enjoy it even more if I was British .

 

[chucker23n1]

So, only trains? What about buses, underground, etc.?

 

[unclemax]

Good to see Apple Maps is making progress! I'm a big fan.

 

[Creek0512]

So, only trains? What about buses, underground, etc.?

Maybe you should read the article, it might answer your question.

 

[AaronG123]

Finally!!! Been waiting for years, glad to see it has been very well implemented - including bus operator logos (even the smallest of local companies have been included).... excellent!

Should have been done sooner, but worth the wait!

 

[orbital~debris]

Impressive… most impressive; Norfolk is included.

 

[StevieD100]

Apple Maps has been updated with comprehensive transit data for the United Kingdom, beyond the London, England area already supported.

Why do you say London, England when you have already referred to the UK? Do you think that your readers will get this London confused with say, London, Ontario?
Then later the article goes on to mention a number of towns and cities without mentioning the country where they are located?
Please be consistent. We don't talk about New York and say, New York, New York.

 

[darkpaw]

We don't talk about New York and say, New York, New York.

You're right, we talk about New York, but we sing about New York, New York.

 

[NightFox]

Why do you say London, England when you have already referred to the UK? Do you think that your readers will get this London confused with say, London, Ontario?
Then later the article goes on to mention a number of towns and cities without mentioning the country where they are located?
Please be consistent. We don't talk about New York and say, New York, New York.

It's one of those American things, and to be fair it's kind of necessary in a country where there's loads of cities with the same name, but it does tend to annoy or amuse many of us inhabitants of the rest of the world to hear Americans referring to "London, England" and "Paris, France" etc when I think most people already realise which one the "default" one is. A taxi driver once told me he'd picked up an American family from Heathrow Airport, and they'd asked to go to "(their hotel) in London, England".

 

[Joe Rossignol]

Why do you say London, England when you have already referred to the UK? Do you think that your readers will get this London confused with say, London, Ontario?
Then later the article goes on to mention a number of towns and cities without mentioning the country where they are located?
Please be consistent. We don't talk about New York and say, New York, New York.

It's one of those American things, and to be fair it's kind of necessary in a country where there's loads of cities with the same name, but it does tend to annoy or amuse many of us inhabitants of the rest of the world to hear Americans referring to "London, England" and "Paris, France" etc when I think most people already realise which one the "default" one is. A taxi driver once told me he'd picked up an American family from Heathrow Airport, and they'd asked to go to "(their hotel) in London, England".

My goal is to be as thorough as possible, but you are correct. With the previous mention of the United Kingdom in that sentence, there is no need for the England descriptor. I don't think it's a tremendous issue, but I've removed it. P.S. For what it's worth, I'm Canadian. I do in fact live a few hours away from London, Ontario by car. Thanks for the feedback!

 

[fabian9]

Why do you say London, England when you have already referred to the UK? Do you think that your readers will get this London confused with say, London, Ontario?
Then later the article goes on to mention a number of towns and cities without mentioning the country where they are located?
Please be consistent. We don't talk about New York and say, New York, New York.

I did this OCD test online earlier, I can share the link if you like?

 

[GadgetBen]

My goal is to be as thorough as possible, but you are correct. With the previous mention of the United Kingdom in that sentence, there is no need for the England descriptor. I don't think it's a tremendous issue, but I've removed it. P.S. For what it's worth, I'm Canadian. I do in fact live a few hours away from London, Ontario by car. Thanks for the feedback!

Thanks for the article, the transit info proves very handy for me getting into London.

Do you know if the info is updated for delays or cancellations?

What data service does Apple use for their transit info in the UK?

 

[Joe Rossignol]

Thanks for the article, the transit info proves very handy for me getting into London.

Do you know if the info is updated for delays or cancellations?

What data service does Apple use for their transit info in the UK?

Thanks.

During my testing, I noticed alerts for service changes and holiday service, so it does seem that Apple provides appropriate notices if necessary — not sure about delays or cancellations in particular though.

In terms of data sources for transit info in the UK, Apple has yet to update its acknowledgments page beyond London, where data is apparently provided by "ITO World Ltd." See: http://gspe21.ls.apple.com/html/attribution-44.html

 

[Mefisto]

Here's hoping Finland gets this while there still is public transport, and not just tubes you jump into straight from (your own) bed and just magically get transported to wherever it was you wanted to go.

Still, nice to see this service (and Maps as a whole) actually expanding little by little. Yes, in the meantime I could use the Google Maps equivalent, but I choose not to, there are standalone apps for that. Just waiting for something baked straight in to iOS, so I can jettison those as well.

 

[MagicBoy]

Excellent news.

 

[StevieD100]

My goal is to be as thorough as possible, but you are correct. With the previous mention of the United Kingdom in that sentence, there is no need for the England descriptor. I don't think it's a tremendous issue, but I've removed it. P.S. For what it's worth, I'm Canadian. I do in fact live a few hours away from London, Ontario by car. Thanks for the feedback!

Thanks. I have been from London to Paris via Waterloo (all in Ontario) when I stayed with friends in Ancaster.

 

[4a6d65]

Transit is absolutely awful for Nottingham on Google Maps. It is on Apple Maps too. It keeps on suggesting to take really convoluted bus journeys, no matter how much I refine my choices. In some cases asking me to get a tram (when not turned off) which is out of my way.

I'd like to know how this data is collected, because the main bus company here has a far better service on their app and website (on the most part).

 

[leechers]

Now Apple maps are offering slightly better, but still terrible, coverage. Great. At least some progress can be seen.

 

[0098386]

I drive, but it thought I'd give it a try considering I'm in town a good 10 miles from home. It looks amazing! A 10 min walk to the bus stop, told me which bus to get, all times seem correct, and then told me how long the walk back to my house would be. This is great and very very useful. Would have loved this during my student days.

I mean Apple maps in general needs a huge usability update. Recently I put in some directions and it told me to go to a similar named road 6000 miles away so that wasn't good.