Cape Town launches mobile transport app

First app of its kind in Africa

Cape Town has launched a mobile transport application designed to make the city more mobile and easier to navigate for commuters.

Billed as the first of its kind in Africa, the Transport for Cape Town (TCT) app is available for Windows phone, iPhone, Android-powered phones and Blackberry.

The app maps out the city's entire public transport network including MyCiTi bus, Metrorail, Golden Arrow, the Jammie Shuttle service and city sightseeing buses.

Commuters using public transport will be informed of the quickest way to reach their destination, by bus or rail, or a combination of both. Drivers of private vehicles can access the best routes available to them as well as their estimated travel time and whether they might meet delays such as road works or accidents along the way.

The app also informs users of the nearest facilities including fuel stations, bus stations, restaurants, hospitals, police stations and accommodation.

Users with Android phones can download the TCT app from Google Play while those with Windows phones can find it in the Windows Store. Blackberry users can download the app from Blackberry World while iPhone users can get it from the App Store.

Local software company Where is My Transport developed the app for Cape Town which says it aims to be Africa's first digital city.

The app's launch follows the release of a website linking Cape Town start-ups with other new firms through an interactive map.