Plan your first journey
A practical guide to choosing a starting point, comparing walking and shuttle options, and reading the map before you set off around CUHK.
1. Start with the right place
Open the map and search for a building by its English name, Chinese name or a familiar abbreviation such as LSK. Check the full place name before choosing it: a college, a building and its nearby bus stop are different destinations.
Check the starting-point row too. You can select University Station (Exit A), another place, or Use My location. Location permission is optional. If your position is inaccurate or you are planning before arriving on campus, choose the starting place manually.
2. Compare the effort, not just the minutes
The fastest walk and the route with fewer stairs can take different paths. Read the distance, uphill height and step count together. A longer route may avoid some climbing by using a mapped lift or escalator. The recommendation weighs effort as well as time; you can still choose another route card.
For example, when planning University Station to Lee Shau Kee Building, open the route details before pressing Go. Check where the route changes level or passes through a building. Times and step counts are modelled estimates, not measurements of your own walking speed.
Fewer stairs does not guarantee step-free access. A mapped doorway or lift does not confirm public access or operating hours. Follow local signs; if a gate is closed or a lift is unavailable, choose another route and report the location.
3. Read shuttle times as a timetable
Compare the whole shuttle journey, including walking to the stop and waiting. Check the route number, direction and stops in travel order. Nearby stops on opposite sides of a road may serve different directions; being close to a marker is not enough to choose where to board.
Departures and moving bus positions come from published timetables, not live vehicle GPS. A countdown cannot confirm that a bus is approaching. Teaching days, holidays and temporary stop notices can change the trip; use the linked CUHK Transport Office timetable and notice as the final source.
For stop reminders, choose the correct route and destination stop, confirm boarding, and keep the app open with location permission. If GPS suggests the wrong boarding stop, correct it manually. This feature is not a background alarm or a substitute for watching the stops.
4. Make the map easier to read
Switch to 2D if 3D is slow on your phone. In About → Customisation, choose boxed or text-only labels, full names or available abbreviations, and the categories you want to prioritise. Names still need to fit on screen; a preference does not force off-screen places into view.
Save frequently used places with the star. After the map has loaded successfully, some map and route functions can work offline, but updates and Meet still need a connection. Reconnect before relying on a recently changed timetable or notice.