NYC-area subway, train, and other transit info now on Google Maps!

[yesthattom]

Today I participated in the Google event at Grand Central Station. We had a big press conference to announce that Google Maps now includes directions using subway, train, bus, ferry, and walking. That is, when you get driving directions, you will also be able to get the same route via public transit. Something like 28 entities were involved in getting all the data, all the schedules, all the rate information, etc.

(My involvement? I stood outside Penn Station handing out info about the new feature)

Read the New York Times Article about Google Maps NYC Transit Directions" (it has a cool picture)

Some interesting points:

• It's in 12 languages. So, if you are a German tourist, you can get help in your language.
• It includes, NJ Transit, LIRR, MTA subway, MTA bus, ferry, and probably other stuff too. It's very comprehensive. It usually can tell you the fare too.
• It understands names of things. Thus, you can enter "Grand Central Station" instead of trying to remember the actual address.
• It includes walking directions. It will even tell you how to walk to the starting subway/train/bus.
• The URL maps.google.com/nyc gets you an intro video.
• BlackBerry users have a special app they can download from m.google.com
• It works from your phone. m.google.com/nyc works from most web browsers on your phone. BlackBerry users and others have a special Google maps application.
• The iPhone "Google Maps" app doesn't yet support transit directions, but you can use m.google.com to do it from the web browser.
• It knows the schedules. Thus, it makes the best recommendations for "now", or you can select a specific date and time. Since I live on a train line that doesn't run on the weekends, it tells me how to use the bus instead (the first time I've ever really understood how the bus near my house works!)

Enjoy!

maps.google.com/nyc

Comments

[cinema-babe.livejournal.com]

This is a major slice of awesome. I used to spend much more time in NYC but I'm not nearly as adept or knowledgeable as I used to be. This will be hella useful for me!

[la-directora.livejournal.com]

That's pretty frickin' sweet. :) I love that I can do walking or public transit directions. Driving directions have always been pretty useless for me unless I leave the city.

[la-directora.livejournal.com]

Oh, SUPER sweet! It has the NJ Transit busses in there, too. Which allowed me to figure out a better route to use when I go to my friend's house in Wayne, and the main bus isn't stopping near her house. AWESOME!!! Thank you!!!

[yesthattom.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the integration of the different (often incompatible) transit systems is my favorite part. It turns out the train station I'd been walking to in the morning is not actually the closest! I now save 1/10th of a mile :-)

[mrfantasy.livejournal.com]

I remember thinking Google already did this when I went to visit your office in April, and walking the 13 blocks from Penn Station to Google NYC because Google Maps didn't do the subway (it did NJ Transit trains though). Luckily it was a beautiful day and I didn't mind the walk.

Penn?

[dballing.livejournal.com]

Where (which exit) & when? I came out of Penn this morning and didn't see you. :-)

I would have taken one of those maps if it'd been you shoving it in my face. LOL.

Re: Penn?

[yesthattom.livejournal.com]

I was at the MSG exit on 7th from about 9:15 until noon.

Where do you commute from?

Re: Penn?

[dballing.livejournal.com]

Ah, I come out at 8th/33rd.

I take Amtrak in each morning from upstate (Kingston-Rhinecliff station).

Re: Penn?

[yesthattom.livejournal.com]

That's quite a commute!

Re: Penn?

[dballing.livejournal.com]

Yeah, no kidding. But it's worth it to live up here in the peaceful countryside. :-)

Re: Penn?

[aguynamedwill.livejournal.com]

I live in Dutchess County (not quite as far north as you, but still) -- may I ask how much a monthly pass is from Kingston? I had always been curious if a monthly pass is available from Amtrak. Thanks for your time and consideration. Will

Re: Penn?

[dballing.livejournal.com]

$612/mo for an unlimited monthly pass.

[tactisle.livejournal.com]

But it has removed all county route numbers in NJ from the map! *waah* Not only on the map display, but one can no longer search addresses by route number in the 500s or 600s.

This is a major PITA for me, since often these routes are the best motorcycle routes, and I even just bought a new BlackBerry Pearl specifically so I could have Google Maps while on my motorbike.

[ckd]

Still no love for Boston, but I blame the MBTA anyway. (They're such an easy target.)

In other news, the new Google Maps for Mobile app doesn't work on my phone. (Not blaming you, just being sad.)

[barking-iguana.livejournal.com]

Does it handle Park & Rides for mixed more trips?

[yesthattom.livejournal.com]

Nope

[mbarr.livejournal.com]

Interesting.. it doesn't take into account the walking time to the station before showing the next departure.

It *shows* the time to walk to the station, but only shows the next 3 departures, even if those are in the next 5 minutes.

(The walk to the station is more than 5 min from here.)

Also, it might be nice to set the time you were departing, somehow.

But very cool! I'll still be using hopstop for a while, though.

Now i'll have to check the mobile version for iphone.. .to see if it works there too :)

[yesthattom.livejournal.com]

Above "by transit" click on the "Show options" link. You'll see you can set the time/date you want to leave, or the time/date you want to arrive.

[mbarr.livejournal.com]

Hmm.. good to know.

Thanks!

(I still think they may have a bug since they don't take the walking time into account, but.. you can at least adjust for that.)

It looks good!

[yesthattom.livejournal.com]

iPhone users have to use the web browser until Apple updates the app.

[mbarr.livejournal.com]

That much I figured :) Not so terrible, though. We'll survive!

[lordlnyc.livejournal.com]

Nice!

But I find that it makes many weird errors specially when it selects a $5 express bus that only does "pick-ups" in the direction I tested and not two "local" buses that cost a total of $2 - and will do the drop off.

Also it does not like the Pier's on the west side. When I enter just "pier 90" for example [had to pick my mom up there on Sunday] it gives me a Fish Market in Jackson heights Queens and not the pier on 12 ave and 50 street. Note, if I add "12 Ave" to the search, it tell me I should get off a bus on 46 street and 12th Ave [and not 49st and 12 Ave] and walk back up 12 Ave.

[yesthattom.livejournal.com]

Could you give me some links that demonstrate these issues? I'll file bug reports.

[lordlnyc.livejournal.com]

The wrong Bus (QM1A is an Express bus that only pick-ups people in Queens and starts dropping off in Manhattan. It does drop off on the way back.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=queensborough+community+College&daddr=8126+150th+St,+Jamaica,+NY+11435+(Parkway+Village+Co)&hl=en&geocode=%3BCSRyXFt_3igHFctObQIdMLiZ-yH4Ch_8BIpEJw&mra=pe&mrcr=0&dirflg=r&date=09%2F23%2F08&time=840pm&ttype=dep&noexp=0&noal=0&sort=&sll=40.761567,-74.023728&sspn=0.470158,0.884399&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=12&start=0

I did this from where I work to where I live

----------------------------
Pier problem
-----------------------------
BTW: I used 147-01 Union Turnpike and a starting point and the title of the web page states "174-01":
[edit: I just notice that the starting point was CHANGED to 174-01 by the software]

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=147-01+Union+Turnpike,+Flushing,+NY&daddr=711+12th+Ave,+New+York,+NY+10019+(Manhattan+Cruise+Terminal)&hl=en&geocode=%3BCd7Fvl4soNzKFRETbgId_uaW-yEZsTpvL9vnMw&mra=pe&mrcr=0&dirflg=r&date=09%2F23%2F08&time=9:23pm&ttype=dep&noexp=0&noal=0&sort=&sll=40.746514,-73.902075&sspn=0.235132,0.4422&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=12&start=0

This tells me to get off off a bus on 46st and walk four blocks North and not 49th street and walk 1 block north.

[Edit#2] I should note that I entered: "Pier 90 and 12 ave", I had to select "(Manhattan Cruise Terminal)" from a list.