Although I have always made do with the omnipresent (especially if you use Android) Google Maps, I admit that when I moved to Madrid I started trying other applications to move around the city and public transport. Thus, Citymapper became one of my essentials and I also gave the official mobility application of Madrid a try, but although I liked it more than Google Maps, not having the metro lines is a chore.
On the other hand, I don’t really like having to create accounts for everything (then remembering passwords is a pain) and why not say so, in a world where big tech companies are increasingly extending their tentacles to cover more services and have more personal information about users, I try to bet whenever I can on open source initiatives. so when I heard about geOps I didn’t think twice: what a success, it is the simplicity and effectiveness made into a web.
Because yes, geOps is not an application, but rather it is simply a web page that we can access from any browser simply from this link. So There is no need to install extra applications or log inmost interesting if your mobile phone has little space and you don’t want to “give away” personal information.
What it is, how it works and the best things you can do in geOps
The first time you enter you will see a welcome pop-up detailing its mission, which is worth highlighting: it combines maps of different aspects of public transport and mobility in general, for example position of vehicles in real time, plans of transportation networks. lines, transit maps, fare networks, location and station information.
So in geOps there is no differentiation between public means of transport depending on which company carries out the service, which means that whoever accesses the website can see information about trains, metro or buses. And this is a good thing: I don’t care who provides the service, I simply want to know what they offer.
Where do you get the maps? Use open source technologies and cartography OpenMapTiles and OpenStreetMapstwo open source platforms with a large community, so it is to be expected and so I have bought with use, quite complete and detailed maps.
Yes indeed, It only works for big cities, so although it is great for me in Madrid, I can’t use it in Pamplona. How do you know in which cities it is operational? Easy: in the search engine at the top of the website, write the name and if you see transportation lines and colored dots moving, then you can use it. For example, it works in Bilbao, Barcelona or Valencia.
If you are in a city with geOps deployed, you just have to touch on the dots and lines to obtain information about it. For example, by tapping on that green dot, the characteristic color of Madrid’s line five, you can see the routes and stops, but also where the metro is at the moment and whether it is on time or not. If you tap on a station, it is possible to define routes with their point of origin and destination, means and additional information. The same for bus lines or commuter trains.
In addition, you can also change the map layer, going from that simple and colorful scheme to satellite, aerial or night mode view. In general the interface is extremely simple, which has its good and not so good side: it is not as agile and beautiful as the usual applications, but in return it is easy to use. From time to time it may stumble a little, but all you need to do is refresh the page to return it to its usual fluidity.
Note: only It is available in English and Germanwhich can be a handicap for people who do not know either language and are not very technological, but for basic use thanks to its simplicity it does not have much mystery.
Cover | Own
In Xataka Mobile | Neither Google Maps nor Waze, Magic Earth is the application that has it all: maps, guidance and even dashcam mode, 100% free
