Google has updated Google Maps app for Android and iOS, expanding the transit feature to seven new Indian cities including Chandigarh, Lucknow, Vadodara, Indore, Mysore, Surat and Coimbatore. The feature was previously available in 9 cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad.
The feature, available via the apps and mobile browser, will let users enter the destination and click the ‘get direction’ icon. Users can then select the ‘transit’ icon to view time, bus numbers, bus stops, Ola and Uber cabs available, routes and other travel information like where to stop for the next bus. Users in these cities could previously only check the route for travelling via car or walking. The new update adds public and private transport options.
Note that Google had added public transport schedules for the other 9 cities back in 2012 and 2015, and integrated private transportation apps like Uber and Ola in March last year. Note that users need to have the taxi apps installed for the integration to work. The integrations would display an estimated pick up time, time to destination and fare.
Google has been steadily integrating new features on its Maps app, like updating it to work for offline use. In 2015, the company had added traffic information for 12 more cities, after having introduced traffic alerts the same year. The company is also looking to monetize its product. In May last year, it started experimenting with new ad formats on Google Maps, showing logos for business locations on the web and the mobile app. Users could tap the logo, and the business page could display coupons for items at the store or let users browse its inventory.
