The PID Lítačka app introduces a unique new generation route finder
Naposledy aktualizováno: 08. 09. 2024 | Publikováno 08. 09. 2024
Hundreds of thousands of people use the PID Lítačka application for travelling in Prague and the Central Bohemia Region every day. It is an indispensable tool for everyone who travels in the region. The new route finder brings a higher standard of search services, which gives users much more freedom when planning their journeys.
The search engine not only finds a route for travelling by public transport, car or bicycle, but also offers a combination of all these modes of transport within one route. For example, if you want to drive, park and then continue on public transport, the app will find exactly that route for you. It will even point you to a parking lot where you can park your car.
„The new generation search engine will find the most convenient and fastest combination of public transport, trains, taxis, walking, car and bike sharing. Unlike other search engines, it allows you to start your journey from any address and also works with the current delay of each connection. PID Lítačka is thus becoming the only mobile application that not only allows passengers in the Czech capital and the Central Bohemian Region to plan their journey completely, but also enables the purchase of individual tickets, long-term coupons or payment for parking. And all this with a few clicks on the phone,” says Zdeněk Hřib, 1st Deputy Mayor of Prague for Transport.
„After a hundred years, we have moved from a book in the pockets of conductors, in which timetables and commuting distances could be found, to a clear mobile application, accessible to each of us. The next-generation route finder cleverly suggests which mode of transport is most convenient for the user’s route at a given time. It can do this thanks to the robust data base that the ICT Operator brings together for this purpose. The data is drawn from the Golemio data platform, thanks to which the application reflects both current events in Prague’s traffic and long-term and regular trends. I use the application myself and am usually satisfied with the search results,” adds Daniel Mazur, Prague City Councillor for ICT, Smart City, Science, Research and Innovation.
Time-saving and smart combination of walking and transport
The search engine uses real-time information on delays and the current location of connections, which means that it displays transfers with a time guarantee for passengers. This gives them enough time to transfer even to connections that they would not be able to catch according to the timetable.
„I appreciate that the search engine works with actual, real-time delay and location times of connections. It saves us Central Bohemians time that we spend on the way not only to Prague, but also in our region. I am even more pleased with the improved function of the whisperer in the Central Bohemia region. The search engine has an improved whisperer of villages and public transport stops in the Central Bohemian Region, it remembers the most frequently entered places and addresses in the area. This means it knows where you often need to go and what you are interested in. This means that the new search engine makes it easier for us to travel not only to Prague, but also throughout the entire Central Bohemian Region,” says Petr Borecký, Central Bohemian Region Councillor for Public Transport.
Convenient travel is key
One of the key features of the new search is more accurate calculation of walking routes, giving users the ability to get an accurate door-to-door connection. It allows you to start your journey from any address, be it home, school, office or shopping centre. Users are no longer tied to public transport stops as with traditional search. Simply enter the starting and destination addresses and the search engine will offer them a route that takes into account various factors such as distance, accessibility, safety and more.In addition, the search engine takes into account the specific needs of passengers and offers them wheelchair accessible stops and low-floor connections. It adjusts routes so that the most suitable one is always available, does not send passengers to escalators or elevators that don’t work, and even avoids climbing steep hills.
Unique technology and data background
Unlike other search engines that offer only one form of transport or combine transport modes separately, the planner in PID Lítačka is fully intermodal. This means that it allows the combination of different means of transport in one route, which is unique not only in the Czech Republic but also in the world.Another key feature is the extensive data base on which the planner relies. With more than 30 different data sources, from road and cycle route maps to current vehicle locations and parking occupancy, the search engine also takes into account a variety of traffic situations in real time.
Shared means of transport
Shared transport is becoming an increasingly popular option, increasing travel comfort, reducing travel time and promoting sustainable mobility in Prague and the Central Bohemian Region.The PID Lítačka application incorporates shared modes of mobility into route planning alongside its own means of transport, allowing users to combine different forms of transport more efficiently and thus reduce the burden on the transport network. In this way, PID Lítačka contributes to a better environment by reducing emissions and pollution.
„The aim of the new PID Lítačka is to offer people a practical and universal tool for getting around Prague and the entire Central Bohemia Region. We have now included shared bikes or cars in the range of connections, as well as a precise calculation of walking routes from house to house. PID Lítačka is now also a helper when combining public transport and your own car. Everyone can choose the best option from the options offered. Even though the connection finder has been extended with new features, it can still only be used for basic public transport connections. All you have to do is tick the means of transport you are interested in,” says Petr Tomčík, Director of ROPID.
Cooperation for innovation
The development of the new generation search engine was made possible thanks to the cooperation of the municipal company Operátor ICT, which is the operator of the PID Lítačka application, and almost twenty partners from the field of mobility and algorithmization.Users of the application can use the services of private mobility providers, such as NextBike, Rekola, Liftago, the Czech Carsharing Association and its members: Anytime, Car4way, Autonapůl, HoppyGo.
„Cooperation with the ICT Operator and integration of Liftago into the PID Lítačka application is another step for us towards building a convenient mobility system in Prague. We believe that the connection with public transport, taxis, shared bikes, cars and other means of transport within PID Lítačka will make transport easier and even faster for users. At the same time, we appreciate the fact that we can bring our know-how that we have built up during our time on the market to the app. Thanks to this, passengers in Prague can rely on a calm and trouble-free travel with Liftago,” adds Radek Svíčka, director of Liftago, a Czech technology company that focuses on safe taxi and reliable courier services.
„It is an innovative innovation of the Prague City Council, which fundamentally connects the forms of travel in Prague. This very popular app for efficient use of public transport is now complemented by other forms of transport, such as carsharing. Over the last five years, carsharing has essentially become a public individual transport and serves all people who primarily use public transport, walk or cycle and only drive when necessary, thus contributing to reducing the traffic load in our capital city,” says Roman Filip, Chairman of the Czech Carsharing Association.
„The partnership with the Prague Integrated Transport (PID) and the inclusion of carsharing in the PID Lítačka app is welcomed by individual members of the carsharing association and their customers. The ability to find a route using shared cars, the location of which is displayed in real time in the app, offers flexibility for all those who need to get around Prague quickly and efficiently. The popularity of carsharing has recently been growing even among users aged 40-60, although until recently carsharing was primarily used by young people aged 18-29,” adds Roman Filip.
„Now you can not only ride them twice a day for 15 minutes for free with a prepaid Lítačka, but also plan routes directly in the Lítačka app. We believe that not only existing Rekol users will benefit from this, but also that the app will bring new users who will be “nudged” to try the new way of transport,” says Jan Střecha from Rekola.
„Our interest in NextBik is always to make an excellent service for the city, as well as for all those who live in the city and commute to it. Now that people can find a variant of their route combined with NextBike shared bikes directly in the PID Lítačka app, modern urban mobility in Prague is getting a new boost. Already today, 10,000 users each month happily use NextBike bikes for their journeys around Prague, whether they are short or longer, relieving both clogged streets and parking spaces, among other things. The new PID Lítačka navigation search engine is another great tool to make getting around the city pleasant and comfortable for people from the moment they plan their journey. While it may not feel like it, the vast majority of our trips are short, and bike share, combined with public transit, is the perfect partner for anyone who wants to get around town quickly, efficiently, and top it off with the good feeling that riding a NextBike in the fresh air brings. At the same time, with a clever innovation in the PID Lítačka app, the City of Prague is making shared micromobility a little more attractive. Thank you for that,” adds Tomáš Karpov from NextBike, which operates the most widespread fleet of shared bikes in the Czech Republic.
User first
The most important role in this process was played by the users themselves. „Thanks to the involvement of more than 2,000 users in the trial run, we received valuable feedback that helped us to improve the search engine and adapt it to the needs of users,” says Benedikt Kotmel, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the municipal company Operátor ICT, which operates and develops the PID Lítačka application.The search engine is currently available in beta version, but it is in full operational mode and all functions, such as buying tickets or parking, are fully functional. Due to the huge data base and their complex real-time calculation, unforeseen situations or minor errors may occur, which are continuously removed and the application is further improved. The search engine is designed primarily for users, and they have the opportunity to contribute to its quality and future feature development with their feedback.
„We want our app to serve as many people as possible, and your experience and opinions will help us do that. So don’t hesitate to try out the unique next generation search engine. Join us in discovering new possibilities and convenience when planning your routes,” adds Benedikt Kotmel.Another planned improvement of the mobile app will be a new online map of Prague Integrated Transport vehicles in one place and other functionalities.