Apple Maps: Real-time data now also for the Rhineland
Apple receives the latest public transport information from Berlin as well as data from transport companies in the Rhine metropolis and federal city.
Bonn and Cologne: Is my streetcar too late?
(Image: Apple)
It's great that Apple's Maps app now provides reliable data for most major city traffic systems to navigate from A to B - whether in Tokyo, New York or Frankfurt. However, the information does not help much if it is not available in real time, for example if delays or changes are not listed. This was the case in most German cities. Now things are slowly changing: after Berlin, which has been covered since March, two more cities in Germany are now being added, as Apple announced on Wednesday.
Streetcars, light rail plus bus
These are the federal city of Bonn and the Rhine metropolis of Cologne, both in North Rhine-Westphalia. Initially, the Bonn light rail system, the Cologne light rail system and the Bonn streetcar system will be covered. There will also be "many bus routes", according to Apple. Until now, real-time data could be viewed via the transport companies' apps, but these must first be installed.
According to the iPhone manufacturer, real-time local transport information includes detailed timetables and current departure and arrival times. There is also a view of where the bus or train is currently located on the route - plus connection options "to make travel planning easier". Apple Maps also displays important information in real time, including cancellations. "You can even be notified when you're approaching your stop."
In Paris, the iPhone replaces the ticket
The sale of tickets has not yet been integrated into Apple systems in Germany. In Europe, payment by iPhone or Apple Watch is possible in London and recently also in Paris. The public transport provider Île-de-France Mobilités from the French capital even integrates the purchase of tickets directly into Apple's Wallet application.
You can then use your iPhone or Apple Watch to get to the platform or check in on the bus or streetcar - a physical ticket is no longer necessary. In London, the iPhone or Apple Watch can also be used as a contactless payment method, which can also be used to tap in and tap out at stations, on buses and streetcars.
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