# ViaBus vs BKK Rail

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ViaBus at 63% against BKK Rail's 14%. ViaBus also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.6) and ratings volume (1.6K vs 10). BKK Rail's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ViaBus sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. BKK Rail asks for nothing beyond the download.

ViaBus holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ViaBus has 1.6K ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of ViaBus's written reviews are positive against 14% of BKK Rail's.

ViaBus ships an update every 3 weeks, BKK Rail every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ViaBus | BKK Rail |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/viabus/id1074208600/reviews)** | [2.6 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bkk-rail/id1448681649/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | **62.7% of reviews** | 14.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 130 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Intouch Marsvongpragorn](https://appshunter.io/developer/1074208599) | [Lalita Narupiyakul](https://appshunter.io/developer/1320426041) |

## What reviewers say

### ViaBus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/viabus/id1074208600)

Navigate public transport in Thailand, Malaysia, and Laos with real-time tracking for buses, boats, and trains. Find stations, get directions, and view routes for various transit modes.

**Highlights:** Real-time transit tracking, Station search, Direction finding, Route and line information, Support for multiple transport modes, Area-based transit systems

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ViaBus Fan I | $2.99 | per month |
| ViaBus Fan II | $6.49 | per month |
| ViaBus Fan III | $9.49 | per month |
| ViaBus Fan IV | $15.99 | per month |
| ViaBus Fan - Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| ViaBus Fan V | $32.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Very helpful app
- 👍 Useful for bus trips
- 👍 Good for Thai people and foreigners
- 👍 Safe
- 👍 Must-have app for visiting Bangkok

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 GPS lags and doesn't work properly
- 🐛 App often freezes or shows buses in wrong location
- 🐛 Doesn't include blue EV buses
- 🐛 GPS not always on
- 🐛 Buses are usually late

**Reported bugs**

- App shows bus routes that don't actually stop
- App doesn't update bus schedules properly

**Requested features**

- Add blue EV buses operated by Thai Smile Bus
- Improve GPS and bus tracking accuracy
- Add ability to attach photos or screenshots
- Improve search and location selection


### BKK Rail

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bkk-rail/id1448681649)

This app provides comprehensive travel information for Bangkok's railway systems, including BTS, MRT, and ARL. It helps users find the best routes and access station details for seamless journeys within the city and its suburbs.

**Highlights:** Information for BTS, MRT, and ARL, Best route finding, Station information, Bangkok and suburb travel

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ViaBus free?

ViaBus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is BKK Rail free?

BKK Rail is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ViaBus or BKK Rail?

ViaBus is rated higher. ViaBus averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while BKK Rail averages 2.6 from 10 ratings.

### Do ViaBus or BKK Rail have ads?

ViaBus shows ads; BKK Rail does not.

### Which is updated more often, ViaBus or BKK Rail?

ViaBus ships an update every 3 weeks, and BKK Rail every 2 months. Most recently, ViaBus was updated on September 22, 2026 and BKK Rail on September 21, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*