Frequently asked questions

Cobblehop is an AI transit companion for Massachusetts. You type or say where you're going in your own words and language, and it gives you one clear route as a visual card: what to board, when it leaves, the stops, when you arrive and the walking at each end. During the ride, it can buzz your phone before your stop.

No. Cobblehop is an independent service run by MAUD LLC. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or operated by the MBTA, MassDOT or any transit agency. It uses the public transit data those agencies publish.

Visitors and tourists first, and anyone who finds transit confusing: seniors, people with disabilities, people who are still learning English, students, and commuters on a route they don't know.

The MBTA (subway, Commuter Rail, buses, the Silver Line and ferries) and every Massachusetts regional transit authority: PVTA, WRTA, MeVa, LRTA, MWRTA, BRTA, CCRTA, GATRA, SRTA, FRTA, VTA, NRTA, CATA, MART and Brockton Area Transit. It also covers Amtrak, the CTrail Hartford Line, Massport Logan Express, Plymouth and Brockton, Yankee Line and Boston Express coaches, and Hy-Line Cruises and other ferries to the islands and Provincetown.

Yes. It plans trips across Massachusetts, including Salem, Worcester, Springfield, Lowell, Cape Cod and the islands, using regional buses, the Commuter Rail, Amtrak, coaches and ferries.

Yes, for nearby trips. Commuter Rail and Amtrak trains reach Providence and other Rhode Island stations, and Boston Express coaches and the Amtrak Downeaster reach southern New Hampshire. Local city buses in those states aren't in Cobblehop yet.

Yes. It includes MBTA ferries in Boston Harbor, Hy-Line Cruises to Nantucket, and other boats to Martha's Vineyard, Provincetown and Cuttyhunk. Some ferries are seasonal and some operators aren't included yet, so check the card for what's running on your date.

Type or say it the way you'd text a friend, like "Salem", "Fenway Park", "get me to Logan by 6" or "last train to Providence". If you don't give a time, Cobblehop plans for now. If you don't say where you're starting, it uses your location if you've shared it, or a main station, and shows the start on the card so you can change it.

Cobblehop uses live MBTA predictions where they're available and published schedules everywhere else. A Live label on the card means the times come from live data. Service can change without notice, so always check station signs and announcements. Cobblehop can't guarantee any time.

Yes, for MBTA stations. Ask something like "next trains at North Station" and Cobblehop shows what's leaving next, with track numbers for Commuter Rail once they're posted.

Yes. Ask for the "last train to Providence" or the last bus to where you're going, and Cobblehop plans the last trip of the night. The card marks it as the last one.

No. Cobblehop needs a data connection to plan trips and follow your ride. If you lose signal during a ride, it uses the scheduled times until the connection comes back.

Tap "Buzz me before my stop" on your route card to start a live ride. Cobblehop follows your train or bus and counts down the stops. When your stop is next, it vibrates your phone where the phone allows it, plays a chime, flashes "Your stop is next" on the screen and, if you've allowed notifications and switched to another app, sends a notification. It also asks your phone to keep the screen awake during the ride.

Silent mode can mute the chime. Low Power Mode or battery saver can let the screen sleep and slow the page down. Closing the tab, swiping the app away or locking the phone for a long time can stop the live ride. Without signal, Cobblehop falls back to scheduled times until you're back online. For the best results, keep Cobblehop open, turn the sound up and allow notifications.

Stops are short, and on a crowded train or bus it can take a minute to reach the door. The card names the stop just before yours, so when you leave that stop, you know it's time to stand up and move.

Not to try it. You can plan your first few trips without an account. To keep going, create one: it takes a few seconds (your name, email, phone number and a password), and the trips you already planned stay in your chat. Accounts help us keep the service reliable and stop automated abuse, and you can delete your account and its data at any time from the account screen.

Your account details (name, email and phone number), the messages you send and the replies, your location if you choose to share it, and basic usage events. Without an account, a random guest ID and your device ID take the place of account details, to count the trips you plan before you need one. Your messages are processed by our AI provider to plan your trip. We don't sell your personal information. The full details are in our Privacy Policy at cobblehop.com/privacy.

Only if you allow it. With location on, Cobblehop can plan from where you are and find nearby stations. Without it, just say where you're starting.

Not yet. Native iPhone and Android apps are coming. Today Cobblehop works in any phone browser, and you can add it to your home screen so it opens like an app. The How it works page has the steps.

Yes. When you sign up, choose “I'd like accessibility options”, or turn them on anytime in Settings. Step-free routes use accessible stations and vehicles only and warn you about elevator outages on your route. Blind or low vision gives you bigger text, a Read aloud button for the route and a spoken stop alert. Deaf or hard of hearing makes the stop alert flash and vibrate until you tap it, no sound needed. Extra time and simpler steps plans a slower walking pace, more time to switch and fewer switches. Elevator alerts come from the MBTA, so on other transit systems check with the agency before you go. Tell us what else would help at team@cobblehop.com.

16 languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Japanese, Korean, Hindi, Arabic, Hebrew, Russian, Vietnamese and Haitian Creole. Pick yours when you sign up or change it anytime in Settings. The app, the answers, voice input and stop alerts all switch to your language. Station and line names stay in English, as on the signs.

Not yet. If you ask, Cobblehop notes the request so we can consider it for a future feature, and it still plans the transit part of your trip.

Ask Cobblehop for it in the app. If it can't do something yet, it notes the request for our team. You can also email team@cobblehop.com.

Email team@cobblehop.com. Cobblehop is run by MAUD LLC.