ShortList is supported by you, our amazing readers. When you click through the links on our site and make a purchase we may earn a commission. Learn more

CityMapper just seriously improved your London tube commute

CityMapper just seriously improved your London tube commute

CityMapper just seriously improved your London tube commute
Danielle de Wolfe
26 August 2015

That guy.

He looks like he knows what he's doing. 

He's got that stance, the posture of a seasoned Londoner. A man who knows exactly where the tube doors will be stopping - and the ideal position for a swift exit. 

Stick with this guy, and this commute is going to go like soap off a duck's shovel. 

For those venturing into the sweltering bowels of the London Underground for the first time, something like the above will inevitably run through your mind. A vast monstrosity, the less time you spend on this transportation marvel the better. By positioning yourself by a set of carriage doors that will open exactly opposite your station's exit, you can shave off precious seconds that could make all the difference between a swift flight to freedom and a grinding trudge through humanity.

Mercifully, the hugely popular navigation app CityMapper has come to the aid of all those uneducated in tube exits.

Their new feature, "Best Boarding Strategy on Platforms for Carriage/ Car /Train Exit Planning Optimisation" (that's really what they're calling it), will provide travellers with a visual guide on the optimum carriage position for their journey. Punch in your destination, as normal, and marvel at the new pictorial guide on which carriage to get on for each line you take.

In order to fine-tune the information further, CityMapper is asking people to provide feedback if they believe theirs is the superior carriage position.

CityMapper isn't the first to apply this feature: the aptly named Tube Exits and London Tube Assistant apply a similar level of precision in a stand-alone app.

Just keep in mind, if everyone starts cottoning on to the best exits for major station destinations, you might want to try moving one carriage along, or facing a crush of smug CityMapper armpits.