How to Use Apple Maps for Public Transit

Apple Maps on iPhone includes a transit mode that gives you step-by-step directions using public transportation — buses, subways, trains, and ferries. If you are in a city with transit data available, Apple Maps can show you exactly which subway line to take, which stop to get off at, how long to walk to and from stations, and when the next departure is.

Transit mode in Apple Maps is available in many major US cities including New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Washington DC, and others, as well as many cities internationally. Coverage continues to expand with each iOS update.

When you enter a transit route, Apple Maps shows you multiple options. Each option is a different combination of transit lines and walking. For example, one route might require one subway transfer but involve less walking. Another might be a direct bus with no transfer but a longer walk at the end. Apple Maps helps you compare these options clearly so you can pick what works best for you.

Real-time departure information is one of the most useful features. In cities where transit agencies provide real-time data, Apple Maps shows you when the next bus or train is actually leaving — not just the scheduled time. If a train is running late, the app shows the actual expected departure time.

You can also look up individual transit lines to see a schedule. In Apple Maps, you can view transit routes on the map and tap on a line to see the stops, the schedule for that line, and real-time arrivals at each stop. This is useful even when you are not actively navigating somewhere — for example, checking how often your local bus runs.

For regular commuters, saving your home and work addresses in Apple Maps makes getting transit directions faster. From the Maps home screen, you can tap "Commute" to see transit options for your commute instantly, along with the next available departure time.