Tired of missing buses due to unreliable schedules, Islamabad-based developer Abdullah Qaisar turned frustration into innovation by building Safar, a free route-planning app for Metro and feeder buses in the twin cities.
“Government is spending millions on an app I built and launched for free,” Qaisar shared in a Reddit post that has since gone viral.
What started as a side project has become a civic breakthrough. Launched in March, Safar has already reached 15,000+ users and mapped 25,000+ routes, offering features commuters long wished for:
- Intelligent route planning
- Real-time station locator
- Interactive maps for Red, Blue, Orange, Green & Feeder lines
- Fare calculator
- Timetables and stop info
- Full privacy, with zero data collection
The app’s interface was enhanced with support from cartographer Faizan Khattak, whose independently created route maps had already been popular on social platforms.
“When I learned Abdullah was building a proper app, I was incredibly excited to contribute. This is the first real public transport route planner for our city,” Khattak said on LinkedIn.
The initiative has gained praise across social media. One Reddit user commented: “If it were paid, I wouldn’t hesitate to pay for it — not just because it’s good, but because you deserve it.”
Qaisar now hopes to scale Safar beyond Islamabad-Rawalpindi to cities like Lahore and Karachi, pending cooperation with local transport authorities. Until then, he continues manually collecting data, using tools like Next.js, Tailwind CSS, Vercel, Google Cloud Platform, Cursor, and Claude.
Despite its success, no government authority has yet approached Qaisar to collaborate.
For now, Safar stands as a shining example of grassroots innovation — proof that with passion and civic intent, technology can bridge gaps where policy lags.
Users can access Safar on Android or via its web app, while an iOS version is in development.
