Category Archives: hk

Faster loading, faster route-planning on our beta metro maps

We’ve just launched some more incremental improvements to our beta metro maps for Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taipei

  • By popular demand, you can now drag between two stations to plan a route (this is how route-planning works in the classic version). You can also use the new method of clicking on the first station, choosing “Plan route” and clicking on the second station.
  • It’s also now quicker to plan a new route after planning your first route – no need to dismiss the route-planning bar
  • Finally, we’ve improved the caching of the map tiles, so the map should load much faster on repeat visits

 

We’ll continue to work on fixing bugs and making improvements in the beta version until they surpass the classic versions 🙂 If you spot any errors, or have any feedback on how to improve the beta versions, do let me know in the comments, or via our support page.

Updates for our beta metro maps

Since we launched the “beta” versions of our online metro maps a few weeks ago, we’ve received lots of great feedback from our loyal users. Some people love them, some people have found problems or issues and want to go back to the old versions.

Just to let you know, we are reading and responding to all the feedback, and continuing to make improvements to the beta version. Today we made several improvements to our beta maps for Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taipei, including:

  •  The default zoom level shows a larger area
  •  You can now zoom in/out smoothly, rather than only in steps of 2x
  •  When hovering over a station, you’ll see a “hand” cursor, making it clearer when you can click
  •  Fixed a bug where flags would disappear during route planning
  •  Faster loading of map tiles in China

To opt-in to the beta version, click the orange banner.

To opt-out and return to the classic version, click the ExploreMetro logo and choose “Don’t use beta”.

We’ll continue to work on fixing bugs and making improvements in the beta version until they surpass the classic versions 🙂 If you spot any errors, or have any feedback on how to improve the beta versions, do let me know in the comments, or via our support page.

Try the beta version of our all-new metro maps

We’re pleased to announce that the beta version of our new metro maps is now available! Visit our sites for Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Singapore or Hong Kong – look for this orange banner at the top of the page to opt into the beta:

If you don’t yet see the message, please accept our apologies, we will make it available to you soon!

You can also visit our sites from an iPhone, iPad or Android device to try out the beta version.

Some of the great new features of our all-new metro maps include:

  • Doesn’t require Flash
  • Layout adapts to your browser size
  • Simplified routeplanning. Just tap on the first station, choose “Plan route”, then tap on the second station
  • Quickly jump to another city using the top menu
  • Zoom in and out using the mouse scrollwheel or zoom buttons
  • Pop open the first/last train times panel. Just tap any station, then choose “First & last”
  • Load the Metropedia article for any station by tapping on the station name

If you’d like to return to the classic version, tap the ExploreMetro logo and choose “Don’t use beta”.

 

As this is a beta version, there may still be a few glitches. If you spot anything wrong, or have suggestions for improvements, contact us!

Coming soon: all-new online metro maps

Since 2007 we’ve been providing interactive Flash metro maps at exploreshanghai.com and for four other cities. While recently we’ve been focused on apps for iPhone and Android, our popular online maps at  are starting to look a little dated. It’s time for a fresh start, so I’ve been redesigning the online maps from the ground up. The goals of the redesign are:

  • No more Flash: as an increasing number of devices don’t come with Flash Player installed
  • Make the design responsive – that is to say, it should display well on any screen size, from a mobile phone right up to a large desktop monitor
  • Allow users of mobile devices who haven’t got our native apps to access basic mapping functionality on all devices for free
  • Add online maps for Seoul and Taipei
  • Add some features from our native apps, like more intuitive routeplanning, and zoom in/out

We’re still testing the new maps, but here’s a sneak preview of things to come (click to enlarge):

Soon, you’ll be able to opt-in to use the new version when you visit one of our sites. Stay tuned for updates!

The Joy of Six: introducing Explore Hong Kong 6.0 with Octopus Card support, top tips

We’re proud to announce that Explore Hong Kong is the fifth of our award-winning subway maps for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch to reach version 6.0


Version 6.0 includes support for showing prices with/without Octopus Card in the routeplanner.

With version 6.0 we re-wrote the map code from the ground up to be faster. The app now loads quicker, and zooming in and out should be smooth, even on older devices.

The other big new feature is tips.

Ever wondered what points of interest are close to a subway stop? Now you can tap on any station, then tap on Tips to see what’s nearby. Tap the thumbs up button on any tip which you find useful.

You can also view a list of the newest, or most popular tips for the whole city.

And if you know a great local restaurant, attraction or a clever shortcut, you can add your own tip:

Explore Hong Kong 6.0 is a free update for existing users. Not got Explore Hong Kong yet? Download it now from the iTunes App Store.

Coming soon: prices with/without Octopus cards

The next version of our Explore Hong Kong app will include a much-requested feature: you’ll be able to choose to see prices with or without an Octopus Card. To keep the interface uncluttered, you’ll be able to select whether you want to see prices with or without a card in the Help tab.

This idea came from our feedback forum: if you haven’t visited yet, do browse the existing suggestions and vote on any you’d like to see in our apps! Popular suggestions include Android versions, bike information and showing the Huangpu River on our Shanghai app.

Hong Kong MTR station names in Cantonese (Jyutping)

In the next version of Explore Hong Kong, we want to include the Cantonese transliterations, using the Jyutping transliteration system, for all Hong Kong MTR stations. Here’s a first attempt. If you have any corrections, do leave a note in the comments!

English Chinese Jyutping
Admiralty 金鐘 gam1 zung1
Airport 機場 gei1 coeng4
AsiaWorld-Expo 博覽館 bok3 laam5 gun2
Austin 柯士甸 o1 si6 din1
Causeway Bay 銅鑼灣 tung4 lo4 waan1
Central 中環 zung1 waan4
Chai Wan 柴灣 caai4 waan1
Che Kung Temple 車公廟 ce1 gung1 miu6
Cheung Sha Wan 長沙灣 coeng4 saa1 waan1
Choi Hung 彩虹 coi2 hung4
City One 第一城 dai6 jat1 sing4
Diamond Hill 鑽石山 zyun3 sek6 saan1
Disneyland Resort 迪士尼 dik6 si6 nei4
East Tsim Sha Tsui 尖東 zim1 dung1
Fanling 粉嶺 fan2 leng5
Fo Tan 火炭 fo2 taan3
Fortress Hill 炮台山 paau3 toi4 saan1
Hang Hau 坑口 haang1 hau2
Heng Fa Chuen 杏花邨 hang6 faa1 cyun1
Heng On 恆安 hang4 on1
Hong Kong 香港 hoeng1 gong2
Hung Hom 紅磡 hung4 ham3
Jordan 佐敦 zo2 deon1
Kam Sheung Road 錦上路 gam2 soeng6 lou6
Kowloon 九龍 gau2 lung4
Kowloon Bay 九龍灣 gau2 lung4 waan1
Kowloon Tong 九龍塘 gau2 lung4 tong4
Kwai Fong 葵芳 kwai4 fong1
Kwai Hing 葵興 kwai4 hing1
Kwun Tong 觀塘 gun1 tong4
Lai Chi Kok 荔枝角 lai6 zi1 gok3
Lai King 荔景 lai6 ging2
Lam Tin 藍田 laam4 tin4
Lo Wu 羅湖 lo4 wu4
LOHAS Park 康城 hong1 sing4
Lok Fu 樂富 lok6 fu3
Lok Ma Chau 落馬洲 lok6 maa5 zau1
Long Ping 朗屏 long5 ping4
Ma On Shan 馬鞍山 maa5 on1 saan1
Mei Foo 美孚 mei5 fu1
Mong Kok 旺角 wong6 gok3
Mong Kok East 旺角東 wong6 gok3 dung1
Nam Cheong 南昌 naam4 coeng1
Ngau Tau Kok 牛頭角 ngau4 tau4 gok3
North Point 北角 bak1 gok3
Olympic 奧運 ou3 wan6
Po Lam 寶琳 bou2 lam4
Prince Edward 太子 taai3 zi2
Quarry Bay 鰂魚涌 zak1 jyu4 cung1
Racecourse 馬場 maa5 coeng4
Sai Wan Ho 西灣河 sai1 waan1 ho2
Sha Tin 沙田 saa1 tin4
Sha Tin Wai 沙田圍 saa1 tin4 wai4
Sham Shui Po 深水埗 sam1 seoi2 bou2
Shau Kei Wan 筲箕灣 saau1 gei1 waan1
Shek Kip Mei 石硤尾 shek6 kip3 mei5
Shek Mun 石門 shek6 mun4
Sheung Shui 上水 soeng6 seoi2
Sheung Wan 上環 soeng6 waan4
Siu Hong 兆康 siu6 hong1
Sunny Bay 欣澳 jan1 ou3
Tai Koo 太古 taai3 ku2
Tai Po Market 大埔墟 daai6 bou3 heoi1
Tai Shui Hang 大水坑 daai6 seoi2 haang1
Tai Wai 大圍 daai3 wai4
Tai Wo 太和 taai3 wo4
Tai Wo Hau 大窩口 daai6 wo1 hau2
Tin Hau 天后 tin1 hau6
Tin Shui Wai 天水圍 tin1 seoi2 wai4
Tiu Keng Leng 調景嶺 tiu4 king2 leng5
Tseung Kwan O 將軍澳 zoeng1 gwan1 ou3
Tsim Sha Tsui 尖沙咀 zim1 saa1 zeoi2
Tsing Yi 青衣 cing1 ji1
Tsuen Wan 荃灣 cyun4 waan1
Tsuen Wan West 荃灣西 cyun4 waan1 sai1
Tuen Mun 屯門 tyun4 mun4
Tung Chung 東涌 dung1 cung1
University 大學 daai6 hok6
Wan Chai 灣仔 waan1 zai2
Wong Tai Sin 黃大仙 wong4 daai6 sin1
Wu Kai Sha 烏溪沙 wu1 kai1 saa1
Yau Ma Tei 油麻地 jau4 maa4 dei2
Yau Tong 油塘 jau4 tong4
Yuen Long 元朗 jyun4 long5