Courtesy of iTunes

By Allison Hoerster

Having moved from a relatively small suburb of Chicago to the vast, urban jungle that is New York City, I had worries about finding my way around the city using different methods of public transportation. The subway system is very confusing to me; it is not something you master overnight. It takes a lot of time and practice, beginning with learning the numbers and letters that correspond to where you are traveling. Now, if you are at all like me, you do not want to seem like a tourist in the main concourse of Grand Central Station, holding various train and subway schedules and looking very confused. I recently discovered a new app, HopStop, that put all of my concerns to rest. With the app, you are able to type your current location and destination into two search bars that appear on the screen. There are several ways of getting to your final destination, and you have the ability to choose between the subway/rail, a bus, walking, taking a taxi or riding a bicycle in order to do so. Once you choose the time you wish to depart, the app provides many routes from which to choose. For example, if I am currently at Grand Central Station and wish to end up at the Plaza Hotel, HopStop gives me several options with times and prices attached: a 6-minute taxi ride for $7, a 10-minute combination of walking and the 4 Train/R train for $2.50, a 19-minute walk, a 13-minute combination of walking and taking the M2 Bus for $2.50, the list goes on and on. The app also has full train and subway schedules and a ‘Live!’ feature that lets people write reviews about the different methods of transportation they use and whether or not they are running on time. I have used this app a few times and it has been a complete life saver in helping me navigate this amazing and bustling city.