We’ve made a short video to show off the features of our Android apps for metro/subway systems in seven Asian cities.
Youtube:
Youku:
Better still, the apps are free, visit exploremetro.com/android to download.
Category Archives: shanghai
Download APKs for our Shanghai, Beijing, Singapore metro apps
If you don’t have access to Google Play (formerly the Android Market) on your Android-powered device, don’t worry! We want to make sure our Android apps get into as many people’s hands as possible. That’s why we’ve added a Android Downloads page where you can directly download the APK files for any of our apps, absolutely free.
ExploreMetro Android apps get top reviews on Google Play
Google recently announced that the Android Market will now be known as Google Play. We’ve received a great response from the community about our new Android apps and we thought we’d share some of the reviews from Google Play!
New 3-day tourist passes for the Shanghai metro
As of March 1 2012, tourists to Shanghai will be able to purchase a new 45 RMB pass which will allow unlimited journeys on all Shanghai Metro lines for a 72 hour period. This is in addition to the existing one-day pass for 18 RMB. We’ve updated our Shanghai Metro ticket guide with the new information.
Explore Shanghai, Beijing and Singapore with our new Android metro maps
We’re excited to announce that our metro map apps are now available for Android phones and tablets! Explore Shanghai, Explore Beijing and Explore Singapore are available now for FREE on the Android Marketplace.
You can download the apps from the Android Marketplace, just click on the relevant icon below to go straight to an app.
Features in the first version include:
- Up to date map with all the latest lines and stations for 2012
- Legend for each line
- English/Chinese version (based on device language)
- Route planner with times and prices
- Audio station names (Shanghai/Beijing)
- First/last train times
- Link to Google Maps for street maps
- Nearest stations (uses GPS/Wifi)
- Help section
Here are a few screenshots!
There are a few features that we haven’t included yet, since we wanted to get version 1.0 out as soon as possible. Once you have installed the app, we would love to get your feedback.
- Were there any problems or crashes?
- Are there any features that you think should be added?
Love it? We’d also appreciate it if you could give us a good review on the Android Market (and tell all your Android-using friends)!
Hate it? Please email me directly at android at exploremetro dot com or leave a comment below, and I’ll do my best to assist with any problems.
Looking for the iPhone/iPad versions of our apps? Please see our iPhone apps page.
Shanghai Metro Line 4 partial closure over Chinese New Year
The Shanghai Metro company announced that services will be suspended on half of Line 4, the circular line, over the Spring Festival Break. The work is necessary due to subsidence at Hailun Road Station.
Line 4 will temporarily operate on the segment between Yishan Road and Linping Road only. On most of the missing section, this won’t be too much of a problem as Line 3 services call at all stations between Baoshan Road and Yishan Road. However note that Linping Road is now something of a dead-end (click to enlarge map).
The shutdown will last from January 23 to 28. Normal operations will resume after the holidays.
The Joy of Six: introducing Explore Shanghai 6.0 with bus info, top tips
We’re proud to announce that Explore Shanghai is the second of our award-winning subway maps for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch to reach version 6.0
With version 6.0 we re-wrote the map code from the ground up to be faster. The app now loads quicker, and zooming in and out should be smooth, even on older devices.
The other big new feature is tips. Ever wondered what points of interest are close to a subway stop? Now you can tap on any station, then tap on Tips to see what’s nearby. We’ve even included bus information for every metro station: check Tips to see which buses stop in the vicinity of the metro station.
Tap the thumbs up button on any tip which you find useful. And if you know a great local restaurant, attraction or a clever shortcut, you can add your own tip:
You can also view a list of the most popular tips for the whole city.
Explore Shanghai 6.0 is a free update for existing users. Not got Explore Shanghai yet? Download it now from the iTunes App Store.
The Beach Express: Shanghai Metro Line 22 to Jinshan set for December opening
Shanghai Metro Line 22 will connect Shanghai South Railway Station with Jinshan, home of the closest sandy beach to downtown Shanghai. Not that it will likely be beach-going weather when the line opens in late December, 2011.
UPDATE: the Jinshan Railway finally opened in September 2012!
The new line will have 9 stations, connecting with Line 1 and 3 at Shanghai Railway Station, and Line 1 and Line 5 at a new transport hub at Xinzhuang in Minghang District. The line then heads south into Songjiang and Jinshan Districts. The stations, from north to south:
- 上海南站 Shanghai South Railway Station (interchange with Line 1 and Line 3)
- 莘庄 Xinzhuang (interchange with Line 1 and Line 5)
- 春申 Chunshen
- 新桥 Xinqiao
- 闵西 Minxi
- 叶榭 Yexie
- 亭林 Tinglin
- 阮巷 Ruanxiang
- 金山 Jinshan
The line is 56.4km long. There will be some direct trains which travel the line in 30 minutes, while trains stopping at every station will take 50 minutes. Trains will travel at up to 160km/h on the new line, over twice as fast as on regular metro lines.
Shanghai Round-up: bomb hoaxer jailed, thieves target phones, bus information displays
Three new items which caught our eye
- Remember the guy who shouted BOMB! on a crowded metro train? He’s been jailed for 18 months
- Some Shanghai bus stops are getting displays to tell you when the next bus is coming
- Hold on to your iPhones while the doors are closing to avoid grab-and-run thefts
Round-up: Shanghai metro crash, Singapore Circle Line, Beijing interchange
- Shanghaiist has a good round-up of news after the crash on Shanghai’s Metro Line 10. Power failure and human error are said to have caused the crash.
- In Beijing, a new interchange passageway has shortened transfer times at the notoriously slow Xizhimen station
- Singapore’s Circle Line will be extended, with the official opening on October 8. We’ll blog about the changes to Explore Singapore later in the week.