SBB Preview vs Hamburg Offline
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SBB Preview
Test upcoming features for public transport planning and ticketing. This preview version allows early access to new functionalities before they are released in the main application. Enjoy core timetable and ticket purchase features, with a focus on innovative user experience enhancements.
- Test new and innovative functions
- Timetable enquiries
- Ticket purchases
- Journey planning with current location
- Digital travelcards
- Push notifications for delays
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SBB Preview — always be among the first to test the latest features. Important: SBB Preview is the preview version of the SBB Mobile app. We are using SBB Preview to test new and innovative functions and features which we want to include in the SBB Mobile app in future. The basic functions for timetable enquiries – and for ticket purchases – for journeys anywhere in Switzerland are the same in SBB Preview as in SBB Mobile. We’ve kept the Preview app in grey to make it easier to distinguish. The heart of the app is the new navigation bar with the following menu points and contents: Plan: • Plan your journey with a simple timetable request via the touch timetable or use your current position as the origin or destination, locating it on the map. • Buy your ticket for the whole of Switzerland in just two clicks. Your travelcards on your SwissPass are applied. • Travel particularly affordably with supersaver tickets or Saver Day Passes. Trips: • When purchasing tickets, your journey will be saved in the ‘Journeys’ tab. • Even if you don’t buy a ticket, you can save your journey manually in the timetable. • The app accompanies you from door to door as you travel and you will receive information about delays, disruption and interchange times via push notification. EasyRide: • Check in, get on and set off – across the entire GA Travelcard network. • EasyRide calculates the right ticket for your journey on the basis of the routes you travelled on and charges you the relevant amount subsequently. Tickets and travelcards: • Show your public transport travelcards digitally with SwissPass Mobile. • It also gives you an overview of your valid and expired tickets and travelcards on the SwissPass. Profile: • Straightforward access to your personal settings and our customer support. Contact us. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us: https://www.sbb.ch/en/timetable/mobile-apps/sbb-mobile/contact.html Data security and authorisations. Why does SBB Preview need permissions? Location: For connections starting from a current location, the GPS function has to be activated so that SBB Preview can find the nearest stop. This also applies if you want to have the nearest stop displayed in the timetable. Calendar and e-mail: You can save connections in your own calendar and send them by e-mail (to friends, an external calendar). SBB Preview requires read and write permissions to be able to import your desired connection into the calendar. Access to the camera: To take photos straight in SBB Preview for the personalised touch timetable, the app needs access to the camera. You will be asked for permission. Internet access: SBB Preview needs internet access for timetable informations and ticket purchase options. Memory: To support offline functions such as the list of stops, connections (history) and ticket purchase, SBB Preview needs access to your device’s memory (save app-specific settings).
Hamburg Offline
Explore with detailed offline maps featuring contour lines and all paths. Discover and filter points of interest like restaurants and trails, with additional information available. Save notes, favorites, and share content easily.
- Customizable offline maps
- Contour lines and detailed paths
- Categorized points of interest (POIs)
- POI search and filtering
- Additional POI information
- Notes and favorites
- Location tracking
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Customisable offline map from Openstreetmap with contour lines in which even the smallest paths and trails are shown. POIs are grouped into categories and can be displayed as layers. For example, you can display all restaurants, public transport lines, banks, hiking trails, charging stations and doctors on the map. The size and overlap of the icons can be adjusted to improve clarity. An integrated database allows you to search for POIs as well as a large number of streets, towns, villages, districts, etc. The search can be filtered by category and/or distance. For many POIs there is further information such as opening hours, address, disabled access, ... Notes or favourites can be created for each POI, a history list shows the most recently used POIs, content can be shared. A location function shows the current position, the app is ad-free and there is no tracking.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: SBB Preview at 52% against Hamburg Offline's 0%. SBB Preview also leads on price (Free vs $3.99) and update cadence (weekly vs every 5 months). Hamburg Offline's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
SBB Preview is free to download; Hamburg Offline costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
SBB Preview ships an update weekly, Hamburg Offline every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SBB Preview | Hamburg Offline |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $3.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 52.0% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 5 months |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 386 MB | 130 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | SBB AG | Joerg Holz |
Customer experience
SBB Preview
Hamburg Offline
In-app purchases
SBB Preview
No in-app purchases
Hamburg Offline
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is SBB Preview free?
Is Hamburg Offline free?
Do SBB Preview or Hamburg Offline have ads?
Which is updated more often, SBB Preview or Hamburg Offline?
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