Who says transit can’t be fun? Every once and while, mapheads put together some creative, nerdy maps like the Game of Thrones world à la Google Maps and neon tubes of the London Underground (aka The Tube). Transit App is jumping into the fun with a fantasy schedule of the Hogwarts Express. Seriously.
You can find daily departures running from Kings Cross Station (KGX) to Hogsmeade Station (HOG) in North Yorkshire, England. Trains depart from the famed Platform 9¾ at 11am and travel northward to the North York Moors. Oddly, the alignment seems to follow the A1 and A64 as opposed a traditional railway alignment like the Great Northern Route or Midland Main Line. No return trips are scheduled.
Naturally, this isn’t the first time Transit App has teased users of the app service with Easter eggs. For those willing to do a little digging around central and southern California, it’s possible to find Elon Musk’s proposed Hyperloop system. Stretching from the Bay Area to Los Angeles, the line also is visible as a transit service.
Transit App shows that you can bring a little creativity and levity to an important transportation technology–just like Google Map’s annual April Fools’ nuggets.
Supported Puget Sound transportation services by Transit App include: Sound Transit (buses, Link Light Rail, and Sounder), King County Metro Transit (buses, streetcars, and water taxis), Pierce Transit, Community Transit, Everett Transit, Kitsap Transit (buses and foot ferries), Intercity Transit, Washington State Ferries, Pronto! Cycle Share, Car2Go, and Uber. The Transit App also serves over 92 metropolitan areas in North America, Europe, and Africa.
Stephen is a professional urban planner in Puget Sound with a passion for sustainable, livable, and diverse cities. He is especially interested in how policies, regulations, and programs can promote positive outcomes for communities. With stints in great cities like Bellingham and Cork, Stephen currently lives in Seattle. He primarily covers land use and transportation issues and has been with The Urbanist since 2014.