The Official MTA App 4+

Looks nice, but old app was much easier and more reliable/accurate

The layout of this new app is far busier and requires more taps to get the same information as the old app/web platform. For a tourist not in a hurry, that information can be useful, but for a native NYer who needs to get someplace now, fumbling through an app to find the same information can mean missing a train, bus, or transfer.

However, the worst part is that estimated arrival times are more often than not, completely wrong. Trains and buses in the app that don’t exist, arrival times being 3-5 minutes off, and travel times between stops completely incorrect (too long or too short). Cross checking with the train arrival signs in stations or at bus stops and checking the web app show me that this app is the issue and somehow is working off different algorithms or data sets to estimate timing. The web app has become quite good and overwhelmingly is the most reliable for arrival times.

I’ve resorted to using the web app, because while not perfect, it’s by comparison 5 stars over this. I look forward to some fast updates to fix, at the very least, the missing and incorrect arrival times.

If it ain’t broke…

Why would you completely change the app? I used to be able to open the app, click on the subway line I needed, scroll down and see when the train was coming. Now there are so many added steps. I have to keep switching to my favorites tab instead of my favorite lines just being there when I open the app, click past a service change alert page and change the direction I need to see EVERYtime. Then I have to push the stop times up to fill the screen because for some reason they added a huge unnecessary map on the subway page. Also the train times are gone. It used to say the scheduled time a train was coming as well as how many minutes away it was. Now it just says how many minutes. We have limited time when trying to catch a train. I just need to open it, make 1 or 2 clicks and see when the train is coming. I used to be able to do that. This new app takes too much to navigate. The whole user interface is just unnecessarily clunky and not user friendly. Simple is always better. I never used the bus part of the app for this same reason and always chose to use the web browser. Now you’ve ruined the subway part. The only positive is that it now supports dark mode. I wish I’d never updated. Please change it back.

App wasn’t great before but it was quick & functional AKA useful

Before, I could just open the app and in about 2 taps have exactly the info I need for daily commuting while only encountering 1 additional screen.

The new app, I have to navigate several screens, multiple taps per screen to get the information I need. When you’re on the go (as most NYers are) this is incredibly annoying and makes the app unusable. I used to defer to this app over Google maps for accurate train/bus info. Now it is unusable for a NYer, who already knows the MTA system, and just needs the most relevant commuting info (when is my train/bus arriving).

New app is a 4 star if you’re a tourist or someone from outside NYC boroughs trying to navigate and need an abundance of info. Happy for “them” but not great that NYers experience/needs have been deprioritized since it’s our taxes funding this system.

Developer Response ,

Thanks for your feedback! We know this is a big change, and we're planning future improvements based on user comments. We appreciate your patience as we continue to make updates to the app.