MTA TrainTime vs NextArrival NYC
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
MTA TrainTime
This app allows railroad customers to buy and use tickets, plan journeys, and track trains in real-time. It offers features like split payments, multi-station trip planning, and real-time GPS tracking for a seamless travel experience.
- Buy and use railroad tickets
- Plan trips with departure times
- Real-time GPS train tracking
- View train car layouts and crowding
- Split ticket payments
- Share trip details
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The TrainTime app provides a one-stop shop for Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad customers, where riders can buy and use tickets, plan their trips, track their trains, and more. • Buy tickets with Apple Pay or credit/debit card. Split payment between two cards. • Plan trips with departure times and transfer details before you travel. You can also search for two origin and/or two destination stations at once. • Save your frequent trains for easy access • Share trips with family and friends so they know when to expect you • Follow your trip with real-time GPS tracking, updated every few seconds • See the layout of your train and how crowded each car is • Chat with a customer service representative for either LIRR or Metro-North within the app
NextArrival NYC
Get real-time NYC subway arrival times and service alerts instantly. This app automatically finds nearby stations and allows easy searching for specific locations, offering a simple and fast way to stay informed about your commute.
- Real-time arrival times
- Live service alerts
- Nearby station detection
- Station search functionality
- Intuitive user interface
- Fast access to subway info
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NextArrival NYC is the fastest and simplest way to check NYC subway times and service alerts. No navigation, no fuss—just the info you need, when you need it. Key Features: • Real-Time Arrival: View the next arrival times for your station instantly. • Service Alerts: Stay updated with live delays and disruptions. • Nearby Stations: Automatically find the closest subway station. • Station Search: Easily search for specific subway stations. • User-Friendly: Intuitive design for a seamless experience. Why NextArrival NYC? • Simplicity: No need to set destinations—just open the app for info. • Speed: Quickly access essential subway details. • Reliability: Accurate, real-time data for informed decisions. • Efficiency: Save time and reduce stress with precise arrival info.
Screenshots
Verdict
MTA TrainTime and NextArrival NYC both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of NextArrival NYC's written reviews are positive against 53% of MTA TrainTime's. NextArrival NYC also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.4). MTA TrainTime's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 11 months) and ratings volume (211K vs 6). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for MTA TrainTime against 5.0 for NextArrival NYC. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MTA TrainTime has 211K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 53% of MTA TrainTime's written reviews are positive against 100% of NextArrival NYC's.
MTA TrainTime ships an update every 9 days, NextArrival NYC every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and June 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | MTA TrainTime | NextArrival NYC |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (211K ratings) | 5.0 (6 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 52.7% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 211K — better | 6 |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days — better | Every 11 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #15 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 129 MB | 26 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Metropolitan Transportation Authority | Richard Hunter Howell |
Customer experience
MTA TrainTime
NextArrival NYC
Bugs and requests
MTA TrainTime
Reported bugs
3 issues- Ticket purchase failures
- Device blocked from purchasing tickets
- Incorrect track information displayed
Requested features
4 requests- Apple Watch support
- Ability to plan trips for future dates
- More detailed crowding/capacity information
- Improved search and filtering options
NextArrival NYC
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
MTA TrainTime
No in-app purchases
NextArrival NYC
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is MTA TrainTime free?
Is NextArrival NYC free?
Which has better reviews, MTA TrainTime or NextArrival NYC?
Do MTA TrainTime or NextArrival NYC have ads?
Which is updated more often, MTA TrainTime or NextArrival NYC?
Other comparisons
