The smartphone is revolutionising public transport like no other technology. The recently introduced Koleje Mazowieckie app (below) is a huge leap forward; I can now buy my train ticket while walking to the station. No longer must I buy it on my laptop and send it to my phone. Or - as in older days - use the station ticket machine or booking office. Or buy ticket from the conductor and pay a surcharge for not having bought it at the station. Not only does mobile ticket purchase save time, it give me great flexibility. I buy my ticket once I know for definite which train I will catch (especially on return journeys from town).
How it used to be: go to station, queue up in booking office, buy physical ticket. Payment in cash, later card.
Then along came the IT Revolution -
Stage 1: buy ticket online via desktop computer, print out ticket physically.
Stage 2: buy ticket online via my desktop or laptop, and upload ticket digitally to my phone
Stage 3: buy ticket directly on my phone. Showing a piece of paper to the ticket inspector? Obciach, Panie!
[Stage X: think about buying ticket, think about payment, make the transaction happen telepathically. Ticket inspector looks at you and knows you've thought about - and paid for - your ticket.]
Since its launch last month, appeared a new iteration of the app with improved functionality has already appeared - no longer do I need to separately open my banking app to confirm payment - the Koleje Mazowieckie app will open it for me automatically. I just need to tap in the PIN once, and all is done.
Further improvements are on the way. Next month will see the launch of PKP InterCity's Pekapka app, giving the same flexibility for long-distance trains. It will also roll in the Wars app, which allows you to pre-purchase your in-train meal. (I notice you can't buy beer using this at present.)
Improvements are not only happening on the railways...
Son Eddie introduced me to Realbus.pl, a website (not yet an app) that allows you to see all of Warsaw's buses and trams in real time. Not quite perfect yet, but a huge advance, especially if your local bus timetable bears no resemblance to reality because of road works, detours or heavy traffic. Now, as I near W-wa Jeziorki station by train, I can check on Realbus.pl whether there's an eastbound 737 or 715 approaching ulica Karczunkowska (below: image from laptop - works as well on a phone).
Yes - it's running four minutes late. My train's on time. I'll catch the bus. Great!
Final improvement (and this is only the for the select few) - having reached 65 (is that right? It doesn't feel right...) I am now eligible for a Roczny Bilet Seniora (annual senior's ticket). It costs me all of 50 zł (£9.14) for 365 days' of travel on Warsaw's Zone 1 and 2 - buses, trams, metro, SKM trains and - most importantly - Koleje Mazowieckie trains. It is 20 times cheaper than four quarterly season tickets on my old Karta Warszawiaka. Which was cheap when used daily, but when the post-pandemic WFH model means irregular trips to the office, it's not so good. Anyway, having bought a Roczny Bilet Seniora means I can get all the way to Zalesie Górne on the edge of Zone 2 for free, so I only need to buy my over-60 discount ticket from Zalesie to Chynów (30% off) for 5.72zł. So getting into the centre of Warsaw and back costs me just 11.44zł (£2.09). For a round trip of 88km. Żyć i nie umierać! (to live and not to die!)
Car ownership is not for me. Help save the planet!
This time last year:
Sublime autumn, Jeziorki
This time three years ago:
New track from Chynów to Warka
This time five years ago:
More about sleep
This time 10 years ago:
On behalf of the workshy community
This time 11 years ago:
Classic truck cavalcade
This time 12 years ago
Narrow back-roads clogged with commuters
This time 13 years ago:
Autumn gold, Łazienkowski Park
This time 15 years ago:
Of bishops and bands
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2 comments:
And in English! The bus app is a little bit random but helps take away the guesswork when waiting for the bus.
The important thing is that it exists, it's out there. No doubt in the near future it will be integrated into the main WTP app; until then it will still play an important part in my travels around Warsaw!
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