Step-by-Step Guide: Building a Transit App Clone with Adalo

This comprehensive tutorial walks you through building a functional subway and bus times app using Adalo's no-code platform. You'll learn how to create a working transit app with route browsing, real-time arrival predictions, geolocation features, and push notifications—all without writing a single line of code.

Key Takeaways

• Build a functional transit app in 2-4 weeks using Adalo's drag-and-drop builder
• Professional plan ($52/month annual) is required for geolocation, API integration, and push notifications
• No-code development reduces costs up to 70% compared to traditional app development
• Adalo supports publishing to iOS, Android, and web from a single build
• External transit APIs (TransitLand, OneBusAway) provide real-time schedule data

Understanding Transit Apps: Features and Functionality

A transit app helps commuters access real-time subway and bus information, plan routes, and receive service alerts. Apps like Transit and Citymapper have set user expectations for what these tools should deliver.

Core Features Your Clone Needs

Before building, understand what makes a great transit app:

• Route and stop browsing – Users search by line number, destination, or current location
• Real-time arrivals – Display predicted arrival times from transit APIs
• Geolocation – Show nearby stops based on user's current position
• Favorites – Let users save frequently used routes and stops
• Service alerts – Push notifications for delays, detours, and disruptions
• Maps integration – Visual display of routes, stops, and user location

Adalo's built-in relational database handles the data structure for routes, stops, and schedules. The platform's geolocation features and External Collections enable real-time transit data integration—though with some limitations we'll address.

Why Choose No-Code for Your Transit App Clone?

Building a traditional transit app usually means hiring developers, which can run into a significant cost even for a simple MVP. With a no-code platform like Adalo, you can often build and launch for a much smaller budget, with ongoing platform and hosting costs included for the first year.

Benefits of Building with Adalo

• Speed – Launch in 2-4 weeks instead of 3-6 months
• Cost savings – Reduce costs up to 70% on average
• True native apps – Publish to iOS App Store and Google Play, not just PWAs
• Visual editing – What you see is what you get, with drag-and-drop components
• Iteration – Update your app without disrupting users' experience

The platform processes 20 million+ daily data requests and maintains 99% app uptime. Over 1 million apps have been created on Adalo, serving 2 million+ unique end users.

What You'll Need

To build a transit app, you'll need the Professional plan at minimum ($52/month annual, $65 monthly). This unlocks:

• Geolocation and GPS features
• External Collections for API integration
• Push notifications
• Google Maps component access
• 2 published apps, 25GB storage

Setting Up Your Adalo Project: Database & UI Basics

Step 1: Create Your Adalo Account and App

1. Go to Adalo.com and sign up
2. Navigate to Account Settings → Team & Billing → Select Professional plan
3. Click "Create New App"
4. Choose "Responsive App" (works on mobile and web) or "Mobile App"
5. Name your app (e.g., "CityTransit")
6. Select "Start from Scratch"

Step 2: Obtain Your Google Maps API Key

1. Visit Google Cloud Console → Create a new project
2. Enable Maps JavaScript API, Places API, and Geocoding API
3. Create credentials and copy your API key
4. In Adalo: App Settings → API Keys → Paste your key

Google provides $200/month free credit, which covers most small transit apps.

Step 3: Build Your Database Collections

Click the Database icon in the left sidebar and create these collections:

Users Collection (enhance the default):

• Home Location (Location type)
• Work Location (Location type)
• Favorite Routes (Relationship to Routes - Many to Many)
• Notification Preferences (True/False)

Routes Collection:

• Route Number (Text) – e.g., "M15"
• Route Name (Text) – e.g., "First Avenue"
• Route Type (Text) – "Bus", "Subway", "Train"
• Route Color (Text)
• Agency (Text)
• External API ID (Text)

Stops Collection:

• Stop Name (Text)
• Location (Location type)
• Stop Code (Text)
• Routes (Relationship to Routes - Many to Many)
• Accessible (True/False)

Arrivals Collection (for real-time data):

• Stop (Relationship to Stops)
• Route (Relationship to Routes)
• Expected Arrival (Date & Time)
• Minutes Away (Number)
• Status (Text) – "On Time", "Delayed", "Cancelled"

Alerts Collection:

• Title (Text)
• Message (Text - Multiline)
• Affected Routes (Relationship to Routes - Many to Many)
• Severity (Text) – "Info", "Warning", "Critical"
• Active (True/False)

Adalo databases

Implementing Core Transit App Features in Adalo

Step 4: Connect Your Transit API

Transit apps require real-time data from external APIs. Options include:

• TransitLand – Free, covers multiple cities, GTFS data
• OneBusAway – Open-source, regional coverage
• City-specific APIs – NYC MTA, WMATA (DC), BART (SF)

To connect an API using External Collections:

1. Database → External Collection → + Add Collection
2. Name it "LiveArrivals"
3. Enter Base URL from your transit API documentation
4. Add Authorization Header with your API key
5. Map API response fields to Adalo properties:
   
   • API field "route_id" → "Route ID" (Text)
   • API field "arrival_time" → "Expected Arrival" (Date & Time)
   • API field "stop_name" → "Stop Name" (Text)

Important: Always use PATCH (not PUT) for update endpoints to avoid accidental data deletion.

Step 5: Install Required Components

Visit the Adalo Marketplace and install:

• Maps Component – Display stops and user location
• Countdown Timer – Refresh real-time data every 5-10 seconds
• Push Notification – Alert users about delays

Step 6: Build Core Screens

Home/Map Screen:

1. Add Maps component set to show current user location
2. Display nearby stops as markers on the map
3. Add search bar using Location Input component
4. Include category filter: All, Bus, Subway, Train

Route List Screen:

1. Add Custom List component showing Routes collection
2. Filter by Route Type from user selection
3. Display route number, name, type icon, and status
4. Click action → Navigate to Route Details

Stop Details Screen:

1. Show stop name, location, accessibility info
2. Add Map centered on stop location
3. List routes serving this stop
4. Display next arrivals from External Collection
5. Add countdown showing minutes until arrival

Favorites Screen:

1. List user's saved routes and stops
2. Provide quick access to real-time arrival info
3. Include "Add to Favorites" functionality throughout

Step 7: Configure Location-Based Features

1. Add "Request Location Permissions" action on app startup
2. Create "My Location" button → Update Current User → Current Location = Current Device Location
3. Filter nearby stops using the KILOMETERS formula:

KILOMETERS(Current Device Location Latitude, Current Device Location Longitude, Stop Location Latitude, Stop Location Longitude) < 1

Limitation Note: Adalo does not support background GPS tracking. Location updates only occur when the app is open and users interact with it.

Step 8: Set Up Push Notifications

Configure push notifications for transit alerts:

1. Settings → Notifications → Request Permission on onboarding
2. Create notification triggers:
   
   • When Alert Status = "Active" AND User Favorites contains affected route → Send push
   • When Arrival Minutes Away < 5 AND User subscribed → Send push
3. Compose messages with dynamic data: "Route {Route Number} arriving in {Minutes} minutes"

Customizing Your Transit App Clone: Branding and User Experience

Step 9: Apply Custom Branding

1. Set primary and secondary colors matching your city's transit authority
2. Use Professional plan's Font Library for consistent typography
3. Add your logo to welcome and loading screens
4. Create custom icons for different transit types (bus, subway, train)

Step 10: Enhance User Experience

• Add "pull to refresh" gestures on arrival screens
• Include loading states while fetching API data
• Provide manual stop search as fallback when location fails
• Display "last updated" timestamps on real-time data
• Implement responsive design for web and mobile

Testing and Iterating Your Adalo Transit App

Step 11: Add Test Data

1. Create 3-4 test user accounts
2. Add sample routes (5-10 lines covering bus and subway)
3. Enter stops with real coordinates from your target city
4. Test External Collection API calls during peak and off-peak hours

Step 12: Test Core Flows

1. Location permissions – Verify they work on iOS and Android
2. Nearby stops – Confirm distance calculations are accurate
3. Real-time arrivals – Check API data refreshes correctly
4. Push notifications – Test delivery reliability
5. Favorites – Ensure users can save and retrieve saved items

Step 13: Preview and Debug

1. Use Adalo web previewer for desktop testing
2. Download Adalo previewer app for mobile testing
3. Verify all conditional logic functions correctly
4. Check that countdown timers refresh data as expected

Publishing Your Transit App to Web and App Stores

Step 14: Prepare for Launch

Before publishing:

• Add Privacy Policy explaining location data usage (required for iOS)
• Configure app icons (512x512 minimum)
• Set up production API keys (separate from test keys)
• Write compelling App Store descriptions

Step 15: Submit to App Stores

For iOS:

1. Enroll in Apple Developer Program ($99/year)
2. Use Adalo's Publishing feature to submit
3. Test via TestFlight before full release
4. App Store review takes 1 day to several weeks

For Android:

1. Create Google Play Developer account ($25 one-time)
2. Submit via Adalo's Publishing feature
3. Review typically takes up to 7 days

For Web:

1. Publish to Adalo subdomain (free) or custom domain (Starter+)
2. Custom domains cost between $10-45 per year

Scaling Your Transit App with Adalo's Advanced Features

Step 16: Expand with Integrations

As your user base grows, enhance functionality using:

• Xano integration – For complex backend logic and database scalability
• Zapier automation – Trigger alerts, log analytics, distribute notifications
• Airtable integration – Sync transit data as an intermediary database

Step 17: Optimize Performance

For apps serving 1,000-5,000 users:

• Limit map markers to <100 simultaneously
• Cache static route/stop data in Adalo's internal database
• Implement "Search this area" buttons instead of automatic pan/zoom updates
• Monitor API usage weekly to avoid rate limit issues
• Store frequently accessed data internally to reduce external API calls

Step 18: Consider Team Plan for Growth

The Team plan ($160/month annual) offers:

• 5 published apps (multiple cities or versions)
• 10 editors for team collaboration
• 125GB storage
• Priority support with 1-day SLA
• Collections API for advanced data access

Why Adalo is Your Best Choice for Building Transit Apps

When it comes to building a transit app without code, Adalo stands out as the most practical choice for several reasons.

First, Adalo creates true native mobile apps for iOS and Android—not just progressive web apps. This matters for transit apps where users expect the performance and feel of apps like Transit or Citymapper.

Second, Adalo's built-in relational database handles complex relationships between routes, stops, schedules, and users without requiring external database tools. You can manage all your transit data directly within the platform.

Third, the platform's Professional plan includes everything a transit app needs: geolocation, Google Maps integration, External Collections for API connections, and push notifications. This all-in-one approach eliminates the need to piece together multiple tools.

The Component Marketplace offers over 50 additional components, including maps, timers, and UI elements that accelerate development. If you need help, the Adalo Experts network connects you with certified developers for specialized assistance.

For transit authorities, startups, or communities looking to provide riders with mobile schedule access, Adalo delivers a working app in weeks—not months—at a fraction of traditional development costs. The platform's mission to "empower makers to bring their ideas to life" makes sophisticated transit technology accessible to anyone with an idea and a few hours to build.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I really build a fully functional transit app without writing code?

Yes. Adalo's drag-and-drop builder lets you create apps with route browsing, real-time arrivals, maps, favorites, and push notifications—all without coding. However, you'll need to connect to external transit APIs for live data, which requires the Professional plan's External Collections feature.

What kind of data sources can I use for real-time transit information in Adalo?

Adalo connects to REST APIs through External Collections. Popular transit data sources include TransitLand (free, multi-city GTFS data), OneBusAway (open-source, regional coverage), and city-specific APIs like NYC MTA or WMATA. Most free APIs have rate limits of 50-100 requests per minute.

Does Adalo support background location tracking for transit apps?

No. Adalo does not support continuous background GPS tracking. Location updates only occur when the app is open and users interact with it. Design your UX around manual refresh buttons and push notifications rather than automatic location updates.

Can I integrate payment features for transit tickets into my Adalo app?

Yes. The Adalo Marketplace includes Stripe payment components for fare purchases. You can also use IAPHUB for in-app purchases. Connect payment records to your Trips or Tickets collection to track purchases and validate tickets within your app.