Sub-optimal journey planning

[yorkie]

I've not seen this on Google Maps before; a rather unnecessary long double-back:

Selby 2215
Dewsbury 2252

Dewsbury 2259
York 2342

Both trains call at Leeds.

Does anyone else have any other odd examples, and does anyone know what can cause this?

 

[telstarbox]

My guess would be either that its algorithm minimises waiting times in favour of time on a train (assuming there isn't an earlier train from Leeds), or an error in the public transport data feed.

Another one I'm aware of is that it won't give connections between Waterloo and Waterloo East as the connecting walkway isn't a public right of way. This means it gives sub-optimal connections via the Jubilee Line from London Bridge instead!

 

[yorkie]

Bizarrely, there is an earlier train from Leeds, at 2300, albeit a Northern stopper, booked into York at 2340, 2 minutes before the TPE.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

I'm guessing that Google Maps isn't exactly the most sophisticated journey planner in the World.

I do recall about 8-9 years ago trying to plan a Lancaster-London trip on the Virgin journey planner. One of the journeys came out at a surprisingly long time, so I investigated. It turned out the journey planner was recommending I took a direct train to Euston, and having done that, took (IIRC) a round trip via the Victoria and Piccadilly lines through Finsbury Park and Highbury and Islington, involving several changes, before returning back to Euston - at which point my journey was over.

Oddly, I decided not to follow that advice.

Sadly, I never took any screenshots, so you have only my word that it ever happened. And since it was a long time ago, I'm sure whatever bug caused that will have long been fixed.

On a related note, not exactly a journey planner, but a couple of months ago I took this picture to prove that the time machine at Abbey Wood station was in full working operation...

 

[D365]

I'm guessing that Google Maps isn't exactly the most sophisticated journey planner in the World.

It does fall rather flat when it comes to public transport in Britain, which is a shame really.

 

[Qwerty133]

I've not seen this on Google Maps before; a rather unnecessary long double-back:


Both trains call at Leeds.

Does anyone else have any other odd examples, and does anyone know what can cause this?

Before looking at the image it seems especially strange that anyone wanted to travel from York to York in order to spend 7 minutes elsewhere....