“OPTI-TRANS app is currently available for the cities of Athens, Madrid, London, New York and Boston. It is however expanding rapidly to cover 420 cities across the globe", says OPTI-TRANS project coordinator, Dr. Stelios C. A. Thomopoulos at the Demokritos National Centre of Scientific Research in Athens, Greece.

The app also incorporates Transport-on-Demand and Passenger-on-the-Curb facilities that allow privately-owned vehicles to be shared with other subscribers.

Other useful information that really enhances a user's experience includes information about timetables, nearby stops, traffic congestion, strikes, and areas of interest in a given city. 

“OPTI-TRANS takes into account users' preferences such as the quickest and cheapest route, as well as the maximum desired walking distance,” adds Thomopoulos.

The project team also has expansion ambitions, going beyond the pedestrian and public transport navigation tool. These future plans include integrating the system with augmented reality video games and using it in indoor localisation and navigation systems. This will open up a new window of opportunity, making OPTI-TRANS a welcome tool for tourists looking to find their way around museums and other historic buildings.  

“We are also working on extending OPTI-TRANS's reach to target people with disabilities,” says Thomopoulos.

OPTI-TRANS app runs on iPhone, Android and Windows operating systems, as well as a web application. It can also be downloaded from the Appstore, Play Store or Windows Market.