Safar app has quickly become a lifesaver for commuters in Islamabad-Rawalpindi, offering a reliable metro and feeder bus guide that the government has yet to provide. The app was built by a young developer, Muhammad Abdullah Qaisar who revealed on Reddit that “Government is spending millions on an app I built and launched for free.”
Qaisar, a software engineer from Islamabad, came up with the idea earlier this year when electric feeder buses were introduced by the CDA. One of the new routes passed near his home, but he could not find proper maps or schedules. After searching online and finding only outdated Facebook posts, he decided to create a digital solution himself.
Launched in March, Safar now provides features including route planning for Metro and feeder buses, real-time station locators, fare calculators, schedules and an interactive network map covering Red, Blue, Orange, Green and feeder lines. Importantly, the app collects no user data.
Qaisar received help from cartographer Faizan Khattak, whose mapping expertise made the platform more accurate and easy to use. Together, they turned scattered information into the city’s first functional public transport guide.
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The Safar app is currently being used by over 15,000 people and has already mapped more than 25,000 routes. Plans are underway to expand the service to Lahore, Karachi and other cities, though no government authority has yet approached the developer.
For Islamabad commuters, Safar stands as proof that innovation can solve civic problems where official systems fall short.
