Google adds live bus tracking (UK)

Google Maps has started showing live bus locations in England, letting passengers see where a bus actually is instead of relying only on timetables. (gov.uk) The Department for Transport announced the Google partnership on April 2, 2026, as part of its “Better Connected” transport strategy for England. The department said passengers across England can track buses in real time through Google Maps, with rural routes singled out as a priority because services are less frequent. (gov.uk) The data behind the feature comes from the Bus Open Data Service, the government platform that publishes timetable, fare and vehicle-location data for local bus services across England. Google’s own transit documentation says agencies can feed Maps live departure, arrival and service-alert data through its real-time transit system. (bus-data.dft.gov.uk; support.google.com) For passengers, the change is simple: a scheduled bus time is a promise on paper, while live tracking shows whether the vehicle is moving, delayed or near the stop. Google Maps already supports real-time departures in some places, but England’s new rollout plugs national bus-location data into an app many riders already use for directions. (support.google.com; gov.uk) London riders have had live bus arrival tools for years through Transport for London, including web, mobile, text message and Countdown signs at about 2,500 stops. The new government push is aimed at England outside London, where live bus information has been less consistent across operators and apps. (tfl.gov.uk; gov.uk) The rollout also shows how transit data moves from operators to passengers. Bus companies publish location feeds to the Bus Open Data Service, and Google Maps can ingest real-time feeds in the General Transit Feed Specification format to update arrival estimates and alerts. (bus-data.dft.gov.uk; developers.google.com) The bus-tracking announcement landed alongside other April 2 measures, including wider “tap-and-go” ticketing plans and a £6 million rural transport pilot in the Peak District’s Hope Valley. In that package, the Google Maps feature was presented as one tool to make bus journeys easier to plan before passengers leave home or head to a stop. (gov.uk)