The author, who uses the JR line for commuting, often uses the company's official app "JR East Japan App" to check the operation status. You can check the status of delays and suspensions on the website and SNS, but with this app you can also check the running position of trains on major lines in the metropolitan area, and when the timetable is unreliable, you can check the "next train". This is because it is convenient to predict when it will come.
JR East App (Android version)Although it is a very versatile app, it has the weakness that it takes a long time to acquire data at startup due to the large amount of communication. Perhaps it has already been factored in, and there is a "simple mode" that has only the minimum functions when access is concentrated, such as when there are large-scale delays on multiple lines.
In the case of the author, this app uses only the two functions of "operation information" and "train location information" mentioned above on a daily basis, so I want a lightweight app that can be used more simply, not only when access is concentrated. had thought. If it is a high-speed line of a major carrier, even a multifunctional application is not inconvenient, but with the MVNO line used in the sub terminal, it is often difficult to read depending on the time zone.
At that time, I learned about another app "GO! By Train" provided by JR East. The iOS version was released in November 2017, and the Android version was released in May 2018. It is a new app born from the "JR East App Renewal Project" aiming to improve the JR East app, and it is very simple compared to the original app.
GO! By TrainGO! By Train is narrowed down to three functions: route search, operation information, and train running position, and you can quickly switch between each function using the tabs at the bottom of the screen. Since the function is cut off, it starts up and operates quickly, so it will be easy to use even on MVNO lines and terminals below the middle range. In the case of the author, "AQUOS zero" on the Softbank line is a multifunctional JR East app, and "HUAWEI nova lite 2" with the SIM of MVNO (LINE Mobile) allows you to quickly check the minimum items with GO! By Train. I use it properly.
Searching for the route of "GO! By Train" is fun just by looking at itI like the beauty of the UI as well as the lightness. Among them, my favorite is "pathfinding". Up to 5 routes are displayed together on one screen, but the graphical display is color-coded using the line color of each line, so you don't have to look carefully at the numbers such as departure time and arrival time of each route to arrive. It's nice to be able to visually see fast routes and routes with few transfers. If you are using the JR East app, please give it a try.
