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App Puts Metro on Map

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There has been a lot of Metro movement of late; the stations for line 4 are nearing completition, we are told the line is undergoing three months of testing as this very magazine is being printed, and even The Nanjinger has got around to adding a dotted line of the new route on its maps. Elsewhere, in the ether to be exact, a new app has emerged, and it is one specifically dedicated to the Nanjing Metro.

Called, simply “Nanjing” (a mistake, if you ask us), the app’s default page is a map of the entire Metro network. Zoom in and tap a station for its Chinese name, then tap the two small circles with an arrow in between at the top right of the screen; choose another station and be told how long the journey betwteen the two shall take, along with the appropriate fare. Some may also appreciate the additional “details” section that provides instructions for the journey; “change at “Nanjing South Railway Station”, “mind the gap”, etc.

The “nearby” tab is one of the more useful features, informing one, somewhat unremarkably, which stations are nearest one’s present location, and how far afield they be.

The search function shall also be of interest to those for whom pin yin is still indecipherable, while the “street” tab interfaces with the phone mapping app to show one the layout of the station and what can be expected nearby at ground level. Extra points also for the Chinese language option.

The app’s developer, Federico Zanetello, an Italian who has lived in China for two years and likes to make apps in his spare time, told The Nanjinger, “Prior to 2014 Nanjing only had two lines, traveling less than 100km. Fast forward to today, and it has more than doubled! Furthermore, with all the upcoming lines under construction, Nanjing Metro has no sign of slowing down. All this development will improve people’s lives and I’m proud to make this incredible network even more accessible with this app.”

While this app will be of limited use to the seasoned user of Nanjing’s extremely impressive Metro system, there is certainly a lot to be said for it among a more newbie audience. Them and the train buffs. How else would I know the longest journey one can make on the Nanjing Metro is from Jinniuhu to Lukou International Airport, at 134 minutes and a cost of ¥12?

Download the free version of the Nanjing Metro app via https://itunes.apple.com/app/nanjing-metro/id1141896246

CORRECTION: The name “Nanjing” appears only under the app icon after it has been downloaded to a device. In the AppStore, the full name is “Nanjing Metro – Subway Transportation Offline Map”.

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