PostBus is the first public transport company in Switzerland to offer an Augmented Reality application. This new service provides information about excursion tips and sights via mobile phone. The location-based, real-time information comes from the PostBus «LeisureClick» database.

With the Augmented Reality application, PostBus is again offering a new kind of service for mobile phones. Augmented Reality superimposes real environments with computer-generated virtual information, thus increasing the user‘s perception. The iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and most Android mobile phones can now be used to receive information on excursion tips and sights. The location-based information is displayed on the phone’s screen and updated in real time.

Excursion tips for all areas of the country

PostBus has collected information on more than 280 sights and leisure offers from all over Switzerland and made this available for free as part of the «LeisureClick» service. This includes a brief description of each excursion tip and information on other offers. Users can also display the direct route to the destination via Google Maps and submit feedback on the excursion tip by e-mail. This information is initially available in German.

Installing the free «Layar» app

In order to use the service, the free «Layar» app must first be installed on the user’s mobile phone from the App Store or Android Market. The «Layar» app consists of various levels, of which «LeisureClick» from PostBus is one.

Other levels enable users, for instance, to find restaurants, hotels, hospitals or filling stations in the area. PostBus is continuously expanding its «LeisureClick» offers as well as ways of using Augmented Reality.

Popular Swiss Post apps

For the past few months, the first two smarphone applications from Swiss Post have been available for free: the Post-App and the PostFinance iApp. The former can be used to find the nearest post office or to track mail, and has already been downloaded over 110,000 times. The PostFinance iApp enables customers to transfer amounts up to CHF 100 from one postal account to another, and has been downloaded over 60,000 times to date.

How Augmented Reality works for PostBus

First, the free «Layar» app must be installed on the user’s mobile phone from the App Store or Android Market. The user can then start the «Layar» app and find and activate the «LeisureClick» or «PostBus» level. All of the leisure offers in the area are now shown on the screen. The search results can also be displayed as a list or a map.

The user can customize the search criteria as required. For example, the search can be restricted to sections such as hiking, families or wellbeing, or according to the time of year. The search radius can be extended up to 50 km.

The «Layar» application is free of charge. The only costs incurred when downloading the application and retrieving information and maps are the data transfer costs in accordance with the information and prices specified by the mobile phone provider.