When asked if there are plans to make bus timetables available in real-time on apps such as Google Maps, an official STCP source told Lusa that "yes, not only on that platform but also on other platforms, including an 'app' from STCP", something that is expected to happen by "the end of this year".

"We have not yet advanced to real-time schedules because we are implementing a new project for an SAEI (Exploration and Information Support System) that will simplify the development work that would be required with the current system", explains the company.

On Tuesday, Porto City Council announced that in a pilot project at eight stops, bus timetables and routes are now available in real-time on new screens in the shelters, in electronic paper format ('e-paper'), in addition to a map corresponding to the route of each line and audio messages.

Included are the stops Praça D. João I (PRDJ), Praça Filipa de Lencastre (PRFL), Campanhã (CMP2), Boavista – Casa da Música (BCM1), Fluvial (FLU2), Sea Life Castelo do Queijo (CQ5), São João Hospital (Circ.) (HSJ9) and Catholic University (UC2).

The pilot project is part of the development of new features of the Explore.Porto service, which already provides this type of information at bus stops, through a QR code affixed to the structure itself, or directly through the address explore.porto.pt, according to the Porto Chamber.

Explore.Porto is one of the internet platforms where STCP provides its timetables in real time, also including STCP's own website (since 2011), QR codes at all stops, the SMS Bus service (since 2005) or the 'app' Move-me, from the Porto Metropolitan Area (AMP).