Thanks to digitalisation, a new era is beginning in Budapest’s public transport. The FUTÁR app is replaced from now on by the BudapestGO app. The new app is not only a journey planner; it is more than that. Journey planning, ticket and pass sales and real-time information on the actual transport situations are integrated into the new app.
BKK’s journey planner under the name of BudapestGO is fundamentally renewed: by introducing several comfort functions, the popular app has moved on to a higher level. The new app developed for months is not only about renaming the former app. Such a digital service has been developed, which follows users from the very first thought of their trip via journey planning and ticket or pass purchase to the very last step they take during their trip.
- It goes even beyond that.
New and further developed functions
BKK considers it important that passengers getting about in the Hungarian capital could organise their errands the most convenient and simplest possible way. To do so, BudapestGO provides the best solution, as due to its new functions, it provides much more than an average journey planner. The new app’s most useful functions are, as follows:
Ticket and pass sales in the app; with the addition of the already-available digital single ticket
Tickets and passes are available anytime with just a few simple clicks in the app. The single ticket to be used for a single trip and from March even the 30-minute and 90-minute time-based tickets will be available among the digital products.
Ticket and pass sales for nearly anywhere in Hungary
Not only for Budapest’s public transport lines, but also for regional buses and local public transport lines of every major urban settlement in Hungary will passengers be able to purchase tickets, passes via the app. Thanks to the BudapestGO app, passengers who wish to travel outside of Budapest are not required to download further apps or to find ticket vending machines.
Automatic renewal of the monthly pass
In the future, neither queuing in a Customer Service Centre or at a ticket vending machine, nor dedicating your attention continuously to your smart phone each month will be required to get the Budapest-passes. The BudapestGO app allows BKK’s customers to automatically purchase their monthly pass each month on a continuous basis, similarly to a subscription-based service. They can unsubscribe from this service with one click.
More transparent interface, quicker journey planning
In the app, timetables can be used more simply and journey planning is more transparent. Vehicles can be switched on and off on the map with one click. Passengers can select even whether the app should plan their trip with less transfers or walking. The planning of unique, fast routes can be set and also the saved addresses can be managed more easily.
Display of traffic-related information
The BKK Info app used by many passengers is integrated into the BudapestGO app. As a consequence of which, the app indicates real-time traffic-related changes during journey planning.
Purchased tickets and passes on the home screen
Ticket presentation becomes very simple. By using the widget function, the purchased ticket can be kept on the mobile home screen, meaning that the ticket can be available, validated or presented with one click.
Tailor-made push messages
The BudapestGO app does not forget anything and notifies passengers in time, for example of the record date two days before the product’s expiry date. Push messages can be tailor-made on demand, in order not to bother users. Concrete days, time intervals, line routes can be selected for the push messages related to favourite lines and stops and it can be selected even if push messages are required only about delays.
From now on, BKK’s customers will have only one task to accomplish: to travel.
The future of BudapestGO
In the digitalisation era, there are no ready-made projects. After it has been born, the BudapestGO further develops right away. Several, already-known complementary functions are being renewed, which will be reactivated, after their developments have been already finished. BKK pays particular attention to the demands of the visually – and physically-impaired users, therefore further development of the app is being under process with the inclusion of experts dealing with equal opportunities, in order the app could be used the best possible way.
The below-described developments will be made this year:
- The number of digital tickets is further expanded with the addition of time-based tickets from March.
- When planning cycling routes, the app is taking into account the topography, hence the height-related data and also the different track types.
- Also the demand-driven lines are listed in the app, meaning that the Telebus service can be requested also via this app.
Long-term goals:
- BKK is doing its best to achieve that the app could completely assist also the transport provided in Budapest’s administrative boundary.
- Functions helping navigation and parking are integrated into the app.
- In journey planning, also the devices complementing the conventional urban transport, such as shared cycling and roller services and even taxis will be listed.
- BKK’s long-term goal is to introduce combined tickets, which help the travel, among others, of families or home office workers.
- Other information in relation to the Hungarian capital (e.g. cultural programs, points of selective collection, etc.) will also be available in the app.
The BudapestGO app, which will be phased in, will be expected to be available within days. The new app will be downloadable free-of-charge both from the Google Play store and also from the App Store. Users who have already downloaded the FUTÁR app to their smart phones need only to update the former app.
Source: bkk.hu
