Help for your everyday journey
Melb Metro
Support.
A little help getting your next train, saved journeys and widgets working the way you want.
01 / Getting started
Save the journey you actually take.
On iPhone or iPad, search for a station or browse by line, open the departure board and choose your direction. Tap Add to Favourites to save it. A short nickname such as Home or Work makes it easier to recognise on a widget or watch face.
On Mac, choose Add Journey, select a Train Line, then a Train Stop and direction, and choose Save Journey. The Mac app works independently without an iPhone; set up your journeys on the Mac itself.
Each saved journey has a station, line and direction. If you travel both ways, save each direction separately. Saving a journey makes it available to your widgets; you still choose where to place them.
Which trains does Melb Metro cover?
Melb Metro focuses on Melbourne metropolitan trains, including Metro Tunnel services. Version 4.0 does not include V/Line, trams or buses.
Where can I find setup help in the app?
On iPhone or iPad, open Widgets and tap How to Set Up Widgets. You can reopen the iPhone widget guide or the Apple Watch guide whenever you need them. On Mac, open Desktop widgets in the sidebar for setup steps and appearance settings.
02 / iPhone widgets
Your next train, on your Home Screen.
- Save at least one journey in Melb Metro.
- Touch and hold an empty area of your Home Screen, then use Edit → Add Widget. Search for Melb Metro, choose a size and add it.
- Touch and hold the placed widget and choose Edit Widget. Select your favourite journey and layout.
- For Commute Pair, save two different journeys and select both in the widget editor.
Apple’s guide to adding and editing widgets
How do I change the widget’s appearance?
Choose a style in the Widgets tab. The style applies to your Home Screen widgets and full-colour Apple Watch Smart Stack widgets. Set each widget’s journey and layout separately in its editor. Lock Screen and tinted watch-face complications use layouts suited to their smaller space.
Why does a widget show setup guidance or the wrong journey?
Check that the journey is still saved in the app, then edit the widget and select it again. Commute Pair needs two distinct saved journeys. If a line or direction is no longer served, follow the app’s recovery guidance and choose a current journey.
A small Commute Pair widget opens a choice of its two journeys. Supported larger pair widgets let you tap the journey you want directly.
Why has my widget not refreshed?
iOS decides when widgets can refresh, so they do not update continuously. Look at the displayed update time and any cached or unavailable message. Open Melb Metro to check the latest available departures, and confirm your device has an internet connection. Low Power Mode and background restrictions can affect updates.
03 / Mac desktop widgets
Your next train, on your desktop.
- On a Mac running macOS 14 or later, open Melb Metro and use Add Journey to save at least one journey.
- Control-click the desktop, choose Edit Widgets and search for Melb Metro. Choose the widget supplied by the app on this Mac if an iPhone version also appears.
- Add a small, medium or large widget, then Control-click it and choose Edit Widget to select a favourite. Automatic uses the first favourite in the app’s sidebar.
- For Commute Pair, save two distinct journeys and select both in the widget editor.
How do I change the widget’s style and layout?
Open Desktop widgets in the Mac app to choose Style, Layout and the time format. Style and time format apply to widgets on this Mac. Use App Layout is enabled by default in each widget’s Edit Widget menu; turn it off to choose a separate layout for that widget.
The preview journey and size controls only change the example shown in the app. Choose the actual journey in each desktop widget’s editor and add the size you want from the widget gallery.
Does the Mac app use my iPhone’s saved journeys?
No. The native Mac app saves its journeys, nicknames and preferences locally on that Mac. It does not sync them with iPhone, Apple Watch or iCloud, and an iPhone is not required to fetch departures or use its desktop widgets.
Why has my desktop widget not changed or refreshed?
Check that you added the Mac app’s widget and that the selected journey is saved on this Mac. For layout changes, check Use App Layout in Edit Widget. macOS controls widget refresh timing, so changes may not appear immediately. Open the app for the latest departures and check the widget’s update time or cached message. A network connection is needed for new departure information.
04 / Apple Watch
A useful glance, on your wrist.
- Save and name a journey on your iPhone.
- Keep your paired devices nearby and open Melb Metro on both. Favourites, widget style and clock preference sync automatically.
- To add a watch-face complication, edit your face, choose a supported complication slot and select Melb Metro. Choose the saved journey you want to see.
- For a Smart Stack widget, open the Smart Stack, enter its edit mode and add Melb Metro. Edit the widget to select a favourite.
Apple’s guide to the Smart Stack
Melb Metro is missing from my Watch.
Open Apple’s Watch app on your iPhone and look for Melb Metro under Available Apps. Install it, then open it on both devices. If favourites have not appeared, check that the Watch is paired and connected, and give the devices time to sync.
Why do my complications look different from the Home Screen widget?
Watch faces control the available complication shapes, space and tint. Full-colour styles are available in the Smart Stack; watch-face complications prioritise clear train information within the chosen face’s design. Not every face supports every complication type.
What should I check if the Watch shows old information?
Open the Watch app to request current departures, check its network connection and look at the freshness label. watchOS controls background updates and may delay a complication refresh. A cached result is not a new live estimate.
05 / Departure information
Know what the time is telling you.
What is the difference between live, scheduled and cached?
A live estimate is supplied by the transport data provider when available. Scheduled times come from the timetable. Cached information is an earlier result stored on your device, and may no longer reflect the service. Check the update time and any warnings, especially when your connection is unavailable.
Why is the train going somewhere different from my saved direction?
Your favourite identifies a boarding station and direction, not a guaranteed final destination. Some trains run only part of the line or continue onto another line. Check the actual destination and service details before boarding.
Do departure reminders track delays automatically?
Optional departure reminders on iPhone and iPad are local notifications on your device. They are separate from service-change alerts and should not be relied on to track every timetable change. Check current departure information before travelling. You can cancel a reminder in the app or change notification permission in system Settings. The Mac app does not offer departure reminders.
How do I report an incorrect departure or disruption?
Email us the station, line, direction, approximate time and what looked wrong. Include a screenshot if useful, after removing anything private. We can investigate the app’s display, but cannot alter train operations or the source timetable.
For official service information, visit Transport Victoria and follow station displays and staff advice.
Still need a hand?
Talk to us.
Email hello@iskralabs.io with “Melb Metro” in the subject. A few details help us find the issue:
- Your app version, device model and iOS, iPadOS, watchOS or macOS version.
- The station, line and direction involved.
- What you expected, what happened and the steps to repeat it.
Please do not send passwords, payment details or anything you do not want included in a support conversation.
How we handle your informationMelb Metro is an independent app by Iskra Labs Pty Ltd, not an official PTV or Metro Trains app. Source: Licensed from Public Transport Victoria under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence. Timetable data and service availability can change.