Best free app for real time train times

[jon0844]

FCC can't even show the train lengths for some of its services either!

There's only one morning peak service that's a 3-car to Moorgate and, yup, that was the one that I took! Wasn't actually that crowded though as I boarded at Finsbury Park and half the train got off there to change to the tube (and then loads more at Highbury & Islington).

 

[mallard]

Why did they license out the data for a price though?

If it had been free to begin with (or a nominal one-off fee), it would have been up to the devs to decide how to make money - or we might have seen some student writing an app for free (quite likely even better than the commerical ones) with the hope of being snapped up by a big developer as a result.

The data was free to begin with and there were a whole bunch of free apps for various platforms (including the obscure ones). It was even listed on the London Datastore (a site run by the London Assembly) as a free data source.

Unfortunately at some point last year ATOC/National Rail realised they could make money from licencing the data, locked it all down and now deny that it was ever free.

Here's a link to one app developer's blog detailing the situation.

I still have a (now-broken) live departure boards app on my Nokia N900. At least iPhone/Android users have the option of buying back the functionality that was once available for free.

 

[Stevenage91]

I have just read some of the reviews posted on here about the Apps that are around on the market for free. I am constantly on my new Ipod touch and have downloaded the DB navigator, and Cross Country Train Time app.

Both apps are very good time tables, although the times on the XC Train Time app was correct compared to the DB navigator which was two minuets out (on a Knebworth to Peterborough 0938 service)

Both apps offer live map timings and show approximately where the trains are. I can't see the feature of any use on the XC app, as every time I checked to see where the trains from London are, it produces a message saying that the train has left London and that it can't be tracked anymore. On the other hand the DB app shows where the train is against where the next stop is. It does provide a wide variety of station spacing, making it difficult to give a accurate calculation of where the train is, but from what I see it is better than the XC app.

Both apps offer a "Find a Train" feature which are very easy to use. The DB app does however class 15 years as an adult, giving an inaccurate price for child tickets, where as the XC app meets the need for 15 years olds being children.

They also both offer a "Purchase a Ticket" feature. Unfortunately on a Knebworth to Peterborough ticket DB refused to sell the ticket, I'm guessing it is due to it being a German company. However they do offer a ticket reminder which programs a travel reminder on the Ipod calendar for the date of your travels. The XC app does allow a purchase of tickets through a debt/credit card transaction, but does not include a calender reminder!

These are free apps and you have to remember that if you want a tip top working app it will cost. I am also having trouble with National Rail Enquiries and think this is a good alternative to the mobile based website that they provide!

Thats all for now! please feel free to correct any information I have posted!

 

[466.networkers]

Just updated the free Chiltern Railways app and it now comes with live departures for every UK station.

Did I mention it's free? :P

 

[Class172]

I would also recommend the XC app as it's very easy to use and gives train departures/arrivals as well. I would also recommend the Journey Pro app by project mapping as it gives you a map of the UK rail network. I have the free version and I find it very useful.

 

[shinkansen1966]

Unfortunately at some point last year ATOC/National Rail realised they could make money from licencing the data, locked it all down and now deny that it was ever free.

Does this explain why the National Rail app is £4.99 (when I paid) and TfL's various apps are 59p ? For London, I use 'Tube Deluxe' and 'Travel Deluxe'.

 

[dvboy]

I use the free "VirginTrain Tickets" app for Android, which seems to be pretty easy, and allows purchase of tickets through the app.

 

[Poggs]

NRE's data has never been free. They had an API at http://www.livedepartureboards.co.uk/ldbws/ which had no enforced restrictions, but shortly after I got it put on the London Datastore site, ATOC closed it down and started charging.

They *have* granted some people a £1 licence to use it for non-commercial purposes in exchange for agreement to their T&Cs. As I summed it up at OpenTech this year (http://blog.poggs.com/2011/05/open-rail-data/), you will pay what ATOC think you should pay, and you will get access if ATOC think you should get access.

Not really a level playing field.

http://blog.okfn.org/2011/09/06/freeing-train-data/ - I am trying to do something about it.

 

[mallard]

NRE's data has never been free. They had an API at http://www.livedepartureboards.co.uk/ldbws/ which had no enforced restrictions, but shortly after I got it put on the London Datastore site, ATOC closed it down and started charging.

The official line on the API went from "for personal non-commercial use only" and no mention of requiring a licence or way to obtain one to "There has always been a requirement for a licence".

I'll leave it up to those reading this thread to decide whether or not that means they changed the terms after realising they could make money from it.

It looks very much like it was originally set up my a technical team with little guidance from management on licencing and when it came to the attention of management/lawyers/accountants they decided that they "always" meant for it to be a commercially licensed service. The wonders of privatisation...

 

[snail]

Do any of these apps offer any 'past' timings, so you can see whether you have just missed your train?! If the data is the same as feeds LDB then it won't cure one of my major gripes, which is that late running trains often disappear off the screen at their scheduled time even though they have not arrived at the station.

 

[radamfi]

Do any of these apps offer any 'past' timings, so you can see whether you have just missed your train?!

You could look at the arrival board of the next station that the train stops at. The XC or Chiltern apps show where the train stopped and how late.
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Why won't the Android Market find the Chiltern app when searching for it on my Samsung Galaxy GT-S5670, but finds the Cross Country one?

 

[snail]

You could look at the arrival board of the next station that the train stops at. The XC or Chiltern apps show where the train stopped and how late.

True, but it's a bit of a pain having to switch to another station display then find the train. I don't see why timings can't be displayed for, say, 30 minutes after the scheduled arrival time.

 

[shinkansen1966]

Just updated the Chiltern Railways app on my iPhone.

Now with live arrivals/departures, pretty much as the same functionality as £4.99 National Rail app. Plus you can buy tickets. The only limitation is that it does not sell the cheapest tickets, for instance does not include East Coast discount when you book at their own web site.

 

[ushawk]

Im now using the free Chiltern app which i think is pretty good, has the LDB and you can buy tickets on there - may not sell the cheapest tickets (except Chiltern advances), but its pretty good considering its free.

 

[starrymarkb]

The Traveline data is also available to licence - for the API you have to cough up £1000 though which pretty much rules out a free app... (I was tempted to make one!)