Shade methodology
Find the shaded side of a bus or train before you ride
ShadySide helps travelers avoid direct sunlight by estimating which side of a bus, train, or car route should receive more shade. It was created by Obuli Sai Naren after a long sunny bus ride from Jalakandapuram to Coimbatore made one problem obvious: passengers often choose seats without knowing where the sun will be during the trip.
ShadySide launched publicly on April 18, 2025 and continues to ship updates through the public changelog, so search engines and AI tools can connect the product story to ongoing release history.
How the shade recommendation works
See the data inputs, accuracy limits, diagram, and a worked bus example.
View methodology
How the shade recommendation works
See the data inputs, accuracy limits, diagram, and a worked bus example.
How ShadySide works
The app compares the route direction, journey time, estimated sun position, and weather context. It then recommends the side that is more likely to avoid sunlight, glare, and heat. This is why ShadySide matches searches like “sit in shade train,” “bus sun side,” and “where to sit in bus to avoid sunlight.”
What affects accuracy
ShadySide is a practical travel comfort guide, not a perfect guarantee. Trees, buildings, flyovers, clouds, window tint, seat layout, route changes, and sunrise or sunset conditions can change the final experience. Use the recommendation before boarding, then adjust with what you see around you.
What data does ShadySide use?
ShadySide estimates bus and train shade by combining route geometry, journey timing, expected sun position, and weather context. The recommendation is designed to answer practical questions like “which side is sun in bus,” “sun direction in train,” and “how to check sunlight direction in bus” without asking riders to calculate bearings or solar angles themselves.
| Input | How it helps | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Route direction | Shows which side of the vehicle is more exposed as the route turns. | Detours and alternate roads can change it. |
| Journey time | Connects the route to morning, afternoon, evening, or sunrise/sunset sun angles. | Delays can shift the actual sunlight exposure. |
| Sun position | Estimates whether the left or right side is more likely to face direct sun. | Low-angle sun can still create glare on both sides. |
| Weather context | Helps explain cloudy or low-light trips where direct sunlight may be weaker. | Forecasts and local shade can differ from what riders see. |
How accurate are ShadySide recommendations?
ShadySide is most useful when the route, departure time, and mode of travel are close to the real journey. It estimates the side with lower direct sun exposure by comparing the path of travel with the expected sun position at that time. The result can be very helpful for choosing a bus or train seat, but it should not be treated as a weather-proof guarantee. Real trips can change because of traffic, route diversions, delayed boarding, flyovers, trees, buildings, clouds, tinted windows, curtains, and seat layout. Long straight routes are usually easier to reason about than routes with many turns. When the result matters, check ShadySide before boarding and confirm with the visible sun, window direction, and available seat options.
Example: a sunny morning bus ride
Imagine a morning bus journey that starts inland and heads mostly west before turning south. Early in the trip, sunlight may hit one side strongly because the sun is still low. Later, after the bus turns, the exposed side can change. ShadySide looks at the route as a journey instead of a single road segment, then recommends the side that should have less direct sun overall. A rider can use that answer to choose a window side, avoid glare, or pick a non-window seat when both sides look exposed. If the bus takes a detour, the driver changes route, or the trip starts much later than planned, the rider should recalculate because the sun-side answer may change.