Get bus and train directions on the go with Google Maps for mobile

Posted by Joe Hughes, Software Engineer

Ever since Google Maps added public transportation directions for San Francisco, its been a lot easier for me to figure out which buses and trains will get me where Im going around town, so that todays gas prices take less of a toll on my wallet. Even so, Ive often found myself wishing that I had an easy way to get transit directions while Im out and about.

Enter the new version of Google Maps for mobile. This version (2.2) allows you to get transit directions in all the same places as the web version of Google Maps, including Chicago, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Vancouver, and over 40 other cities in North America.

This version of Google Maps for mobile even has a few tricks not yet available on the desktop version of Google Maps. For instance, you can find the last transit trips of the day (to figure out how late you can stay at the party) and more easily browse through earlier or later trips. The My Location feature, available on most phones, also makes it easier to set the start point of your journey.

To see how the transit feature of Google Maps for mobile works, take a look at this quick video walkthrough with my co-worker Ryan:


This version of Google Maps for mobile also includes a bunch of other goodies, like faster searching on BlackBerry devices and star ratings for businesses. Its currently available for BlackBerry devices and many other Java-based phones. To download it to your phone visit http://www.google.com/gmm from your phones web browser or on the desktop.

Were working to bring public transit directions to Google Maps on other devices, so stay tuned!

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Google Maps For iPhone 5 and iOS6

Finally, the long wait to enjoy excellent and accurate maps on iPhone 5 and iOS 6 is now over.
The big G has finally released their popular Google maps for iPhone 5 and iOS 6 devices.
This can be downloaded from the App Store and its of course free.
Since the removal of Google maps from iOS 6 by Apple and replaced with its own offering, there had been criticism from every side due to inaccurate destination that it provides.
Well, finally, those on iOS 6 and iPhone 5 can now enjoy accurate and well established mapping app of Google Maps.
Its features are as awesome as you would expect from the big G mapping app.
It has voice guided navigation
Turn by turn navigation
Local Search
Street view
Transit view and more

The truth is, no matter how much Apple try to polish their Map app, it wont be as robust and reliable as the Google maps.

So, head over to the App Store and get yourself the Google maps that will take you to your destinations safely.
Its only available for iPhone at the moment and will be available for iPad users soon.
Download here

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