The MTA has taken some of the guess work out of catching trains with a newly-launched app.
The app, named MTA Subway Time and currently only available on iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches, will allow straphangers to know precisely when trains are expected to arrive at stations. For now, the service is available on seven lines, the No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and S trains.
“This is what generations of dreamers and futurists have waited for. The ability to get subway arrival time at street level is here,” said MTA Chair and CEO Joseph Lhota. “The days of rushing to a subway station only to find yourself waiting motionless in a state of uncertainty are coming to an end. Now, you can know from the comfort of your home or office whether to hasten to the station, or grab a cup of coffee as part of a leisurely walk.”
The app allows users to click on any of the 156 stations to see when the next train will be at the station. The app is synchronized with the mta.info website displaying planned service changes and real-time service disruptions.
The L train is expected to be added to the app within a year and the No. 7 line in the coming years. The other 15 subway lines signaling system must be upgraded before it can be added to the system, though the MTA is exploring other ways of providing real-time arrival time through other means.
The app is still in a test mode and the MTA is looking for feedback from users.
An app for Android and Blackberry users is expected in the near future.
