Google Maps for Android adds transit support for Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata and Delhi

Imagine loading up an app on your smartphone, enter your destination and sleep comfortably on your next bus journey only to wake up to an alert on your phone that you have arrived at your destination. This is possible with a great software update for Google Maps on Android. This is possible for select cities of course. 240 cities across the world are covered in this public transport data directions update by Google Maps and lucky for us we have 4 cities covered in India. Bangalore (BMTC), Chennai (MRTS), Delhi (Metro) and Kolkata (Metro) are covered.

Google Maps has a good database of details with bus routes too. For example for a bus journey from Brookefields, Bangalore to Basavangudi, Bangalore, Google Maps gives me 2 routes which are fairly accurate. Though a limited number of bus types (Vayu Vajra and Big-10) are covered as a part of this. The app has options for car, cycle and walk. Once you set the directions you can hit the blue arrow button to set the route and get alerts for your destination or keep track of where you are relative to your destination.

GPS and location is the killer feature for any mobile application. My favorite killer apps so far have this in common. Sentinel is a women security app which uses GPS. Tuk Tuk uses GPS to stay clear from con auto drivers. Now with Google Maps you don’t have to worry about missing your bus stop or getting into awkward conversations with strangers and requesting them to remind you of your destination in a new city. Apps like these really make the phone smarter.

Google Maps app has 1 million downloads already

Google Maps App is a 6.91 MB download and available from Android Market. Now this is getting frustrating but there is no Google love for iPhone. First it was Google + and now maps. Google + for iPhone should be coming anytime soon, we’re not sure when the maps update will come to iPhone. I also found that Maps on Android is much better than iPhone but you already know that.

So pop up this app into your phone so that you don’t get lost when you are in one of these cities.

Source : Google Blog, Transit, Download app