For millions of commuters in Indian cities, bus travel is not just about availability but also about accessibility. In the Capital, the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses together record an average daily ridership of 4.14 million passengers.

Yet, unlike Metro systems with clear maps, signage, and real-time updates, buses in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru lack consistent, easy-to-understand transit information.

Missing route maps and the absence of real-time tracking make commuting a frustrating ordeal. Google Maps and many other mobility apps offer little help to those without smartphones, data access, or digital literacy.

In 2022, the Delhi government announced plans to build 1,400 bus shelters with route maps, real-time arrival information, and fare details. Two years later, progress remains stalled. Mumbai’s new bus shelters include bookshelves, charging points, letter boxes, and emergency contacts—but not route maps.

“No bus system in India offers adequate transit information. The beauty of buses is their flexibility to provide direct services, yet they often become a maze of low-frequency routes. Only 10-20% of routes meet acceptable service levels, route numbers are confusing, and information is scarce—leaving passengers to rely on equally uncertain fellow commuters,” said mobility expert Shreya Gadepalli.

“Also, many cities give the contract of building bus shelters to advertising companies. The majority of display space is used for advertising and a minuscule amount of space, often the least visible, is left for bus information if any. Ironically, you’d see an ad for a scooter or bike at bus stops. These companies know their target customers well —frustrated bus passengers,” she said.

The evolution of bus transit information

Before motorised transport, cities relied on horse-drawn trams and carriages, with schedules shared through word of mouth or newspapers. As buses became widespread in the early 20th century, cities like London and New York introduced printed route maps and signage at stops.

In London, the information challenge has been recognised for over a century. By the late 20th century, digital advancements such as LED displays transformed public transit information.

“Starting around 2007, we equipped all our busy bus stops with countdown boards. These display real-time bus arrival information, giving people certainty about wait times,” said Shashi Verma, chief technology officer at Transport for London (TfL).

In 2023, TfL introduced TV-style digital screens and greyscale, Kindle-style screens at bus shelters, displaying live route maps, real-time arrival data, and timetables on certain routes. The Kindle-style screens include an audio announcement button for the visually impaired, while low-power e-ink technology ensures visibility in all lighting conditions. This initiative is part of TfL’s Bus Action Plan, which prioritises faster journeys, enhanced passenger experience, increased ridership, and network decarbonization.

However, bus transit in Indian cities remains stuck in a time warp, with most bus stops still lacking basic route maps.

“The problem in India is that transit information is often treated as an afterthought when it should be a core pillar of equitable urban planning. Indian cities must adopt a mission-mode approach, integrating policy enforcement, tech innovation, and community engagement to transform buses from a ‘nightmare’ into a backbone of sustainable mobility,” said Delhi-based architect and urbanist Dikshu Kukreja.

Many Indian cities, including Delhi and Bengaluru, have launched transit apps claiming to offer comprehensive services like trip planning, real-time bus tracking, estimated arrival times, and route visualisation. However, in reality, most of these apps primarily function as ticket-booking platforms, failing to provide real-time tracking and accurate ETA updates.

“Bus stops should at least display route maps of the buses halting at that particular shelter. Ideally, bus stops should feature a route planner with a unified map of metro and bus services,” said retired IAS officer and former WRI India CEO OP Agarwal.

The route problem in Indian cities

Architect and cartographer Sudipto Ghosh said one of the biggest problems is that unlike most global cities, Indian cities do not have cognitive route maps. “Developing such route maps for Indian cities is quite tricky. There are too many bus routes, so cities first need to rationalise routes,” said Ghosh, who in 2016, along with graphic designer Shimonti Sinha, created a first-of-its-kind cognitive DTC route map.

Their colour-coded cognitive map is based on a simple diagram of the city with roads straightened at 90- and 45-degree angles, allowing users to identify a bus going towards their destinations. At the time, Delhi had 550 DTC bus routes, and they selected 100 high-frequency routes selected for mapping. Today, Delhi has 625 bus routes.

The Delhi government installed their map at the Delhi Secretariat bus stand as a pilot project in 2018. Today, the map has come off inside its panel. Meanwhile, ironically, some smart bus shelters in New Delhi provide Metro trip planners but not bus route maps.

Gadepalli said bus service agencies must focus on developing a rationalised system with fewer but high-frequency routes. “While the goal is to provide direct services as much as possible, transfers between routes must be seamless, supported by high-frequency trunk routes and frequent feeder services using small buses that connect every neighbourhood. Services should be so frequent that people can simply arrive and board their bus,” she said.

TfL’s Verma said providing bus information is always challenging as route structures are complicated. “Starting around 2003 we came up with spider maps. These are maps specific to each bus stop that show you all the routes and destinations served from that stop. While a single-route stop is simple, multiple routes create complexity. Instead of presenting separate diagrams and timetables for each route, spider maps simplify choices for passengers,” he said.

Pawan Mulukutla, executive programme director of integrated transport at WRI, emphasised that community participation should play a key role in designing bus route maps to ensure they are accessible, user-friendly, and reflective of local commuting patterns. “Hackathons and collaborative mapping initiatives can generate fresh ideas, improve data accuracy, and bridge gaps between planners and daily users,” he said.

An urban planning failure?

Urban planning, Kukreja said, extends beyond physical infrastructure to encompass how residents interact with the city. A robust bus transit information system, he pointed out, is integral as it ensures accessibility, reduces congestion, and promotes equity.

“Urban planning must address both hardware (buses, stops) and software (information, user experience). The absence of real-time updates, route maps, and integrated data reflects a failure to prioritise user needs. This gap perpetuates reliance on private vehicles, exacerbating traffic and pollution,” he said.

Verma agreed. “Once you get past the core issues of the transport being available, safe, reliable, etc., there are two key issues that impact on people choosing public transport: information and payments. Our research over decades has shown us that these can be major impediments to people using public transport. The comparison here is with private vehicles where these challenges do not exist,” he said.

Gadepalli emphasised the need for cities to develop simple information systems accessible to all individuals, regardless of age or ability, advocating for clear street signage directing people to bus stops, detailed route information at the stops, and real-time arrival updates as an added advantage. She cited Ahmedabad’s BRTS as an example, noting that although not citywide, it provides effective bus route information, real-time arrival updates at stops, and audio-visual announcements inside buses.

Kukreja said without clear information, even the best infrastructure remains underutilised, undermining sustainability and mobility goal.

“Effective systems empower users—especially marginalised groups—to navigate confidently which goes a long way towards our common goal of creating inclusive, efficient cities,” he said.