Since we’ve gotten a lot of comments from riders having difficulties using Google Transit (our new default trip planning application at www.metrostlouis.org), I asked the St. Louis Beacon if we could post their BeaconTech video tutorial on how to use Google Transit. They happily obliged. Please watch (the tutorial starts at about 1:36): Nextstop is working with our IT department to create a tutorial and FAQ for Google Transit trip planning, aided by your feedback. In the meantime, hopefully this video will help demonstrate some of Google Transit’s features and applications.
For many of us, the first step to using public transit is planning our trip. Maybe you’ve thought about using the trains and buses to get to some of your favorite destinations…out to dinner, back and forth to work, the ballgame, to a friend’s house. But you weren’t sure which buses and trains to use, and certainly when you catch them. Metro has TripFinder software on our website, and now you can also use Google Maps to plan your ride.
Say I’m interested in meeting a friend for dinner at Blueberry Hill after work. What’s the best way to get there? First, I go to Google Maps and type in my destinations, and hit “Get Directions.” I don’t need to know the address for Blueberry Hill – Google will fill that information in.
On the left hand side of the screen, below the destination fields, select the field “By public transit”, as shown below:
Hit enter, and Google will provide you with several options involving various combinations of taking a train, bus, and walking. (more…)
