Google Maps Gets 3 New Feature for Commuters in India, Including Live Train Status

Mixed-mode navigation will tell which stop is best to hire an auto-rickshaw.

By Nadeem Sarwar | Updated: 4 June 2019 15:04 IST

Google Maps Gets 3 New Feature for Commuters in India, Including Live Train Status

Users will also be able to see the expected fare of an auto-rickshaw journey

Highlights

The live bus status will factor in real-time traffic on a route
Details such as train running status and delays will be shown
The new features will be limited to a few cities initially

Google has introduced a host of India-specific features to Google Maps in the past. Continuing the tradition, Google has announced three new navigation features in Google Maps for Indian folks who rely on public transport. The first one tells approximate travel time via a public bus after taking into account live traffic status on the route. A similar feature for train journeys has also been announced, which shows real-time train running status, as well as any delays that might occur. Lastly, a mixed-mode navigation option has also been revealed that will suggest the best route by recommending when users should switch to an auto-rickshaw during their journey.

Real-time bus travel information

Google Maps will soon show the delay one might face during their bus journey by taking into account the live traffic status of the route. In case a delay is expected, users will see a message in red colour that will tell the amount of time by which the regular commute time will be extended due to traffic congestion or any other factor.

In case there is no delay, commuters will see the transport time in green text. This feature is initially being launched in Bengaluru, Chennai, Coimbatore, Delhi, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Mumbai, Mysore, Pune, and Surat.

Live train status

This India-specific feature will tell users the live status of a train and check if it is delayed, however, it will work only in case of a long distance train journey. As per Google's official blog post, this feature was developed in collaboration with the 'Where is my Train' app that was acquired by the search giant last year.

Mixed-mode navigation with auto-rickshaw recommendation
For users who have to switch between a bus and auto, or metro and auto on a regular basis, this new feature will certainly come in handy. It will tell users when they should take an auto-rickshaw and what station or stop will be the most suitable to take one after switching from another means of transport such as metro, local train, or a bus.

Google Maps will also present useful information such as estimated auto-rickshaw fare and departure time for a transit connection. The mixed-mode navigation guidance will initially be available for users in Delhi and Bengaluru, and will be expanded to other Indian cities as well.

We checked for three new India-specific features on the latest version of Google Maps for Android (v10.17.2) as well as the beta version, but it appears that they are not live as of now.

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