It’s an odd contradiction that public transport passengers often find themselves surrounded by people, yet with no one to talk to. Instead, we turn our eyes downwards, wholly consumed by stalking Facebook feeds and scrolling through Instagram. But now Brisbane Metro train passengers have an alternative. Developed as part of a research project by QUT PhD student Tiago Dias Camacho, TrainYarn is a new, free mobile app that aims to engage local commuters by enabling them to interact with their fellow passengers via text.

Users can choose to chat individually or in a group, and all communication is anonymous. While TrainYarn is still in the early development stage, the app is available in both Android and iOS. Download the app for free here.