New York City is finally giving subway riders a high-tech option to figure out when their train is coming.
MTA has released a free app that provides real-time estimates of train arrivals so riders can better plan out when to show up at the station. The app is called Subway Time and is currently only available on the iPhone, though there are plans to release it on other platforms in the future.
Other third-party apps like NextStop and NYC Mate also provide subway arrival time estimates for New York City, but the new Subway Time app has the potential to be more accurate and useful by relying on the MTA’s signal data for train arrivals.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the MTA has spent $228 million over 11 years installing advanced signals on select train lines, which can be used to provide minute-by-minute updates on a train’s location. As a result, the app is limited to just showing train times for the red and green subway lines as well as the Grand Central-Times Square shuttle, though there are plans to add the L train in the next 6-12 months and the 7 train by 2016. Unfortunately, the app will only work when there is an Internet connection, which means it is really only useful at above ground stations and the limited handful of stations that have WiFi.
If you’re looking for the silver lining in the ever-looming MTA fare increase, why not check this app out and let us know how it works for you!
