Bus, train, tram or subway — the latest version of Google Maps for Android, released today (Aug. 16), lets you choose which to take. It's particularly helpful in cities with competing modes of public transportation, such as New York.
Now when you choose a subway route, for instance, bus lines will be hidden on the map, making for a quicker read. You also can see more information about a particular station with a single tap on your Android phone , such as departure times, lines serving that station, and distance to nearby stations.
Google has added some nifty features for tourists and others who are new to a region. Whenever you search for a city or postal code, the borders of that region are now highlighted. And there are new tabs under My Places where you'll find maps you've saved to your starred places and can use when you're offline. If you've turned on Location History, you can browse a day-by-day display of where you've been.
If you're an iPhone or iPad user, you cannot access My Places from your mobile device. You'll need an app, such as My Places for Google Maps, available for 99 cents in the App Store. (A free version is available, but it lacks important features, including access to your history and starred locations.)
Google Maps has public transportation schedules for about 500 cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Paris. Anyone with an Internet connection can see his or her public transportation options along with routes for driving, walking and biking, but using the mobile app makes getting around a lot easier. Google Maps is available in Google Play.