Dubai: Metro users can now use a new smart phone app, MetroMate, to plan their journey.
Designed by two students at the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD), the app provides a comprehensive and user-friendly guide to the Dubai Metro system alongside a range of other handy features, all of which can be accessed without an Internet connection.
The app was developed based on regular experiences of the designers Ali Razzouk and Diana Hassanova and is intended to help commuters in their daily travel.
“Using the Metro on a daily basis, I often found myself frustrated by just missing trains, or dashing to the station only to have to wait for some time before the Metro arrives at my stop. This app is intended to take the guesswork out of Metro travel by providing an accurate, real-time schedule to help users find the next and last trains, as well as journey times to their destination,” said Ali Razouk, Bachelor of Computer Science, who has designed successful apps before.
Speaking about the design he said: “We gave a lot of consideration to the design and usability of the app, to make it attractive and easy to use. In two months we’ve had almost 1,000 downloads and the ratings for the app are consistently five stars. This is a great position from which to grow, and we hope that with this app we can positively impact Metro use across the city.”
His partner, Diana, has taken on the role of raising awareness of the app among students and other potential users.
“MetroMate is a free to download app that provides accurate train timings, last train alerts, and time to destination information for all operational stations on the Dubai Metro. It is available in both English and Arabic and also includes a smart station detection system to locate the station nearest to you, as well as a full map of the entire Metro network,” explained Diana, a Bachelor of Commerce student.
The app also has a unique Nol balance tracker, which allows users to keep up to date with their credit and receive notifications when it is running low. The interface is inspired by the Dubai Metro stations and the design blends seamlessly with that of the stations’ interior.
The pair hopes that MetroMate will help to improve the user experience across the Metro system and ultimately increase Metro travel across Dubai.
Among Ali’s popular apps is an award winning social discussion forum, and he has more innovations in the pipeline.
