The Public Transportation Open Data Council commenced providing real-time information for 10 new public transportation operators to Apple Maps via its Public Transportation Open Data Center on April 9, 2026. This expands the total number of public transportation entities integrated with Apple Maps to 28. The Council aims to foster an ecosystem for open public transportation data and advance digital transformation in Japan's mobility sector, having operated the Public Transportation Open Data Center since May 2019.
The Public Transportation Open Data Council (Chairman: Ken Sakamura, Professor Emeritus, University of Tokyo) announced that from April 9, 2026, it has begun providing real-time information for 10 new public transportation operators to Apple Maps via the Public Transportation Open Data Center. Previously, the Council had already provided real-time information for 18 railway and bus operators, including the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei Bus, Toei Subway, Tokyo Sakura Tram) and Yokohama City Transportation Bureau (Yokohama City Bus, Yokohama City Subway), to Apple Maps. With this latest addition, real-time information for a total of 28 public transportation operators is now available on Apple Maps, expected to further enhance convenience for public transportation users. The 10 newly added operators are (in no particular order): Hokkaido Takushoku Bus Co., Ltd., Nishi Tokyo Bus Co., Ltd., Kanto Bus Co., Ltd., Funaki Railway Co., Ltd. (Bus), Iyo Railway Group Co., Ltd. (Bus), Joshin Kanko Bus Co., Ltd., Gunma Chuo Bus Co., Ltd., Kan-etsu Kotsu Co., Ltd. (Bus), Akiba Bus Service Co., Ltd., and Shimotsui Electric Railway Co., Ltd. (Bus). The Public Transportation Open Data Council is engaged in activities aimed at creating an ecosystem for the open distribution of public transportation data, with numerous public transportation operators, local governments, and ICT companies participating. The Public Transportation Open Data Center, which began operations in May 2019, has been providing data from various public transportation operators, including real-time location information for railways and buses, to domestic and international ICT operators (including transfer guidance services) and general developers. Through the operation of the Public Transportation Open Data Center, a data collaboration platform connecting numerous domestic public transportation operators with diverse data users worldwide, the Council aims to achieve Digital Transformation (DX) in Japan's mobility sector.
FACT BOX
- Source: PR TIMES
- Category: サービス拡張, データ連携, Partnership
FAQ
When did the Public Transportation Open Data Council begin supplying real‑time information for the ten new operators to Apple Maps?
The council started providing the real‑time data on April 9, 2026, for the ten newly added public‑transportation operators on Apple Maps.
Who serves as chairman of the Public Transportation Open Data Council and what academic position does he hold?
Ken Sakamura acts as chairman and is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo, overseeing the council’s activities.
How many public‑transportation operators in total now have real‑time information available on Apple Maps after the latest addition?
After adding ten new services, a total of twenty‑eight public‑transportation operators now provide real‑time information through Apple Maps.
Which ten public‑transportation operators were added on April 9, 2026, and what type of service (bus or railway) does each primarily offer?
The ten operators added are Hokkaido Takushoku Bus Co., Ltd. (bus), Nishi Tokyo Bus Co., Ltd. (bus), Kanto Bus Co., Ltd. (bus), Funaki Railway Co., Ltd. (bus), Iyo Railway Group Co., Ltd. (bus), Joshin Kanko Bus Co., Ltd. (bus), Gunma Chuo Bus Co., Ltd. (bus), Kan‑etsu Kotsu Co., Ltd. (bus), Akiba Bus Service Co., Ltd. (bus), and Shimotsui Electric Railway Co., Ltd. (bus), each primarily providing bus services.
When did the Public Transportation Open Data Center start operating, and what kinds of real‑time data does it supply to ICT operators and developers?
The Public Transportation Open Data Center began operations in May 2019 and supplies real‑time location information for both railway and bus services to domestic and international ICT operators and general developers.