New York City - MTA: Best Apps for Transiting Around NYC

An interesting article on the best apps for transiting around NYC according to the MTA's App Quest contest.

http://www.lohud.com/article/20120203/NEWS/302030052/What-s-best-app-transiting-around-NYC-winner-?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage

It didn't qualify for this particular contest, as far as I can tell, but Exit Strategy (iOS only) is great if you live in NYC. It doesn't really do "how do I get from A to B" (although it does have the subway maps in it), but it shows you where to stand on the platform based on where you're going. So, if you're taking the uptown A to 59th St, it will tell you where to stand on the platform so that, when you get off the train at 59th St, your desired exit/transfer point is right there. Very slick, $4.99 incredibly well spent.

I second Exit Strategy. That and the plain old Maps app with public transit routing is all I find I need.

Let's say you typically take the same route every day between work and home. As an example, leave work with the 4 to Atlantic Avenue and then change for a Brooklyn train.

The app my friend is looking for would be the equivalent of the radio and TV traffic reports that say something like, "No Q service southbound from Atlantic Avenue because of emergency track work." That way, you could take a different route before entering the station.

Anyone know of an app that will do what I describe?

Let's say you typically take the same route every day between work and home. As an example, leave work with the 4 to Atlantic Avenue and then change for a Brooklyn train.

The app my friend is looking for would be the equivalent of the radio and TV traffic reports that say something like, "No Q service southbound from Atlantic Avenue because of emergency track work." That way, you could take a different route before entering the station.

Anyone know of an app that will do what I describe?

Click on the link in the first post. The winning app, Embark NYC, does that.

There's also a map posted every Friday on subwayweekender.com that I find is infinitely more readable than the MTA's weekend website.

I just download the map PDF on my phone to iBooks. Instant offline map.

Click on the link in the first post. The winning app, Embark NYC, does that.

Thanks. Have you used it? Are the "advisories" accurate and up to date?

The app I'm looking for would allow you to point your phone at an interesting looking person on the subway (or on the sidewalk or in a restaurant or a theater) and provide a Wikipedia-like entry about that person. Who are they? What's their story? What are they doing there?

Let's say you typically take the same route every day between work and home. As an example, leave work with the 4 to Atlantic Avenue and then change for a Brooklyn train.

The app my friend is looking for would be the equivalent of the radio and TV traffic reports that say something like, "No Q service southbound from Atlantic Avenue because of emergency track work." That way, you could take a different route before entering the station.

Anyone know of an app that will do what I describe?You can sign up with the MTA to receive service alerts (planned system outages) and service advisories (unplanned ones). At least I think that's what they're called...

An interesting article on the best apps for transiting around NYC according to the MTA's App Quest contest.

http://www.lohud.com/article/20120203/NEWS/302030052/What-s-best-app-transiting-around-NYC-winner-?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FrontpageI wonder why HopStop wasn't included, since it's pretty much the same as the winning app, Embark NYC (though HopStop also includes buses). Maybe since they've been around for years, maybe they felt any extra publicity wasn't worth the time to apply.

Embark NYC appears to consistently crash on my Android 4.0 tablet.

Thanks. Have you used it? Are the "advisories" accurate and up to date?

I've only been using it for a couple days, but the advisories over the weekend seemed correct.

I've been using the iPhone version of HopStop for about a year now and for the most part, it meets my needs. As mentioned above, it does factor in current conditions from the MTA for routing advice; not sure if it factors in some of the other agencies like Metro North, PATH, and NJ Transit.