Transport information websites - good and bad

[telstarbox]

I've just seen the new First Potteries website which is simultaneously eye-catching and useful. There's a simple network map on the front page where users can click through to areas and routes, as well as a colour-coded list of routes on the left-hand side for users who already know the route they're after.

http://www.potteriesbuses.com/

So, which passenger websites have you seen which are good or bad? Name and/or shame...

 

[Statto]

The Merseytravel, TfGM, NWM sites are good for transport info up to date bus maps, timetables from all routes, only irritant is you have to search for bus timetables on the bus timetable section providing you know what number you want.

First Glasgow is a good site timetables up & one of the best bus maps up which includes some routes by other operators.

 

[Strathclyder]

First Glasgow is a good site timetables up & one of the best bus maps up which includes some routes by other operators.

Was gonna say this myself. It was good of them to include other operators, too. Personally, the one change I'd make to their map is the color of the other operator's routes. Anything but grey would be nice.

 

[Via Bank]

Stagecoach's national bus website surely wins awards for terribleness. Flash-based carousel on the front page, text in images (bad) with incorrect or incomplete alt-text (very bad), an appallingly bad layout, no way of looking up single or return fares, and the dreadful third-party payment system.

It's like it's stuck in a time warp to 2006, when we all still thought WAP was a pretty neat idea.

EDIT: oh, and Traveline. The fact this is acceptable as the 'promoted' way for most people to plan public transport journeys across the country is a national disgrace and totemic of the lack of integration and simplicity with the British public transport network.

 

[pdsalford]

I've found Keighley & District's website to be very easy to use.

 

[Abpj17]

http://www.busway.net is the worst I've found.

 

[Searle]

Trying to get information out of most Eastern European state railway websites is pretty much impossible I found

 

[button_boxer]

I find transportdirect.info does the best job of consolidating all the different modes of transport in one place, but their UI is terrible. If we could get the transportdirect data feed with the Google maps UI...

 

[plymothian]

I've just seen the new First Potteries website which is simultaneously eye-catching and useful. There's a simple network map on the front page where users can click through to areas and routes, as well as a colour-coded list of routes on the left-hand side for users who already know the route they're after.

http://www.potteriesbuses.com/

So, which passenger websites have you seen which are good or bad? Name and/or shame...

Having said that, it does fall down on search facilities. Especially as SoT is a collection of towns and the 'city centre' is Hanley, not Stoke.

Taking an example, I'm arriving at Stoke-on-Trent railway station wanting to go to the city centre.

From the front page of the website alone I cannot know at a glance that the station is located in Stoke, and the city centre is Hanley.

Then, I have to work out which routes go between those two places, which then necessitates clicking on 3 different routes to verify and check times.

 

[jopsuk]

Stagecoach group sites are pretty clunky

 

[Mojo]

I tried to find out how long a journey from South Chadderton to Bury on the Tram in Manchester was going to take. There are no timetables on the Metrolink website so I had to use Traveline, which doesn't recognise 'South Chadderton' and changes it to the centre of Chadderton, Greater Manchester. Put in 'South Chadderton Tram Stop' and you don't get anything useful, but the dropdown "helpfully" suggests 'Halfway Tram Stop.' Ended up using Transport Direct which acknowledges the existence of Tram stops but bizarrely adds a 1 Min walk.

As for dreadful bus company websites; see this thread I made last year: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=92821

 

[starrymarkb]

I find transportdirect.info does the best job of consolidating all the different modes of transport in one place, but their UI is terrible. If we could get the transportdirect data feed with the Google maps UI...

Transport Direct is closing soon

 

[Be3G]

Transport Direct is closing soon

What!!! I love that site. Helped me on many an occasion for cross-country journeys.

 

[Deerfold]

http://www.busway.net is the worst I've found.

Really? It's not going to win any awards for best website ever but seems to have easily accesible (if basic) maps and timetables.

I've found Keighley & District's website to be very easy to use.

Unfortunately each update seems to make it worse.

They removed the network map which shows the boundary of tickets such as the Zone tickets. The Google maps are great for seeing exactly where the buses go, but awkward if you're trying to see which service passes closer to where you're going.

They also used to be very good at publicising changes to routes and fares in advance. The last fare change information appeared on the website 3 days before taking effect. The one before that appeared the day before it happened.

 

[starrymarkb]

What!!! I love that site. Helped me on many an occasion for cross-country journeys.

Basically the Government is saying use Google.

Traveline is apparently going National soon, SE, SW and Midlands sites can now do nationwide planning in Eng, Scot and Wales, I've heard rumours that it'll be relaunched as a national service later this year/beginning of next once all the issues with integrating the new national data are sorted - I would expect a website redesign to go with that. Currently it's based on the system that German Verkersverbunds use so National is giving a few issues

 

[Be3G]

Thanks for the info, starrymarkb. I really hope Traveline inherits some of Transport Direct's advanced features – e.g. the facility to add on extra legs of the journey both at the beginning and at the end was very handy and unsurpassed by any other journey planner I've seen in this country.

 

[bussnapperwm]

Network west midlands is alright...when it is updated!!

 

[theblackwatch]

I tried to find out how long a journey from South Chadderton to Bury on the Tram in Manchester was going to take. There are no timetables on the Metrolink website so I had to use Traveline, which doesn't recognise 'South Chadderton' and changes it to the centre of Chadderton, Greater Manchester. Put in 'South Chadderton Tram Stop' and you don't get anything useful, but the dropdown "helpfully" suggests 'Halfway Tram Stop.' Ended up using Transport Direct which acknowledges the existence of Tram stops but bizarrely adds a 1 Min walk.

I agree about Metrolink's site - I tried finding timetables while attempting to organise the forum Metrolink trip last weekend. Finding how long it takes to get from X to Y was difficult or impossible, all they seem to provide are 'first' and 'last' times and details of the frequency. Very poor in my view.

 

[telstarbox]

For future reference, use Traveline Northwest > Timetables mode > enter a number from MET1 to MET5 depending on the route you're after.

 

[ModernRailways]

I really quite like the Nexus website. There are a few things that can be fiddly to get too but they don't really affect the normals.

Transport for London's is possibly the best out there though.