OK, technically speaking, Paris buses are already in the 21st Century. Isn’t it funny how ‘space age’, ‘the year 2000’ and ‘the 21st Century’ are no longer any good as shorthand for all things futuristic? Despite this, we wanted to tell you about the Paris bus system trying out new technology called a Data Matrix to tell you when your bus is coming…


I’ll admit to having a mobile phone mostly for calling people or receiving calls from people, but with the advent of camera phones and the iPhone, it would seem that I am in the minority. Many mobiles are more like mini-computers these days, and some interesting – and useful – tools have been created for them.

You may have seen these black and white squares around already. They are called Data Matrix or QR codes, and are like an elaborate barcode. You have to download a program onto your mobile phone, after which you can take a photo of the codes in question and be automatically redirected to content on the web.

The RATP (that runs the Paris transport system) has just equipped 80 bus shelters in the 2nd arrondissement (near the centre) with these codes. Snap one, and you’ll find out how long you have to wait until your bus comes along! Oh, and if you see someone more old-school, grimly squinting at the miniature timetable, that would be me… 😉

Above: the 2nd arrondissement in Paris. Below: the streets of the 2nd arrondissement.