A desktop widget displaying upcoming train departures from your local station offers immediate convenience and significantly enhances daily productivity by allowing effortless planning around travel schedules. By providing real-time departure information at a glance, it ensures punctuality for future appointments, meetings, or personal engagements, reducing the stress associated with commuting uncertainties. The widget can also integrate seamlessly into customised desktop displays or broader smart-home dashboards, offering continuous, unobtrusive access to travel updates without interrupting workflow. This integration promotes a smoother, more efficient daily routine, saving valuable time and ensuring users remain consistently informed and prepared.
Key benefits and relevant use cases include:
- Professional appointments: Quickly verifying departure times to avoid lateness or missed meetings.
- Daily commuting: Minimising waiting times by timing departures accurately.
- Home-working integration: Incorporating the widget into home-office setups to coordinate remote and in-office working days effectively.
- Travel planning: Easy checking of upcoming departures to plan connecting journeys or onward travel.
- Family scheduling: Coordinating family travel arrangements efficiently, particularly for school runs, social events, or leisure activities.
- Accessibility considerations: Providing clear, instant transport updates to users with mobility issues or other accessibility requirements.
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset=\"UTF-8\">
<title>Train Departures from Kings Cross</title>
<style>
body {
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
background: #f9f9f9;
padding: 20px;
}
h1 {
font-size: 1.5em;
}
.train {
padding: 10px;
margin: 5px 0;
border-bottom: 1px solid #ddd;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Next 3 Departures from Kings Cross</h1>
<div id=\"widget\">
<?php
// Replace with your actual API credentials
$appId = 'YOUR ID';
$appKey = 'YOUR API KEY';
$stationCode = 'KGX';
$url = \"https://transportapi.com/v3/uk/train/station/$stationCode/live.json?app_id=$appId&app_key=$appKey&darwin=false&train_status=passenger\";
// Fetch data from TransportAPI
$response = file_get_contents($url);
if ($response === FALSE) {
echo 'Error loading data.';
} else {
$data = json_decode($response, true);
if (empty($data['departures']['all'])) {
echo 'No train data available.';
} else {
$trains = array_slice($data['departures']['all'], 0, 3);
foreach ($trains as $train) {
$destination = htmlspecialchars($train['destination_name'] ?? 'Unknown Destination');
$scheduled = htmlspecialchars($train['aimed_departure_time'] ?? 'TBA');
$estimated = htmlspecialchars($train['estimated_departure_time'] ?? $scheduled);
$platform = htmlspecialchars($train['platform'] ?? 'N/A');
echo \"
<div class=\\\"train\\\">
<strong>To: {$destination}</strong><br>
Scheduled: {$scheduled}<br>
Estimated: {$estimated}<br>
Platform: {$platform}
</div>
\";
}
}
}
?>
</div>
</body>
</html>
