Comparison

transN vs SBB FreeSurf

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

transN

Features
Read full description

Application officielle des transports publics neuchâtelois. Vous voulez vous assurer que votre prochain bus ou train arrive bien dans 5 minutes ? Vous souhaitez savoir quel est l’arrêt le plus proche ou s’il y a des perturbations sur le réseau transN ? L’application des transports publics neuchâtelois vous aide à organiser vos déplacements en vous donnant accès à des informations telles que le temps d’attente jusqu’au prochain départ, la durée du voyage ou encore les connexions possibles aux arrêts et ce en temps réel, c'est-à-dire en fonction de la position effective des véhicules ! La recherche d’itinéraires, la géolocalisation des arrêts les plus proche et la cartographie vous aident à gérer vos trajets même si vous ne connaissez pas le réseau par cœur. Le système d’info trafic vous permet de vous informer quant aux éventuelles perturbations sur le réseau, de façon à planifier au mieux vos voyages. L’application actuellement téléchargeable est une version beta qui traverse encore quelques phases de tests. Nous recevons volontiers vos commentaires quant aux éventuelles erreurs qui pourraient apparaître ainsi qu’aux suggestions d’amélioration. Cette application nécessite une connexion à Internet. L'utilisation continue du GPS en cours d'exécution en arrière-plan peut réduire la charge de la batterie. Continued use of GPS running in background can decrease battery charge.

About

SBB FreeSurf

Access free internet on SBB long-distance trains. This app leverages strong mobile coverage for a faster connection than traditional train Wi-Fi. It's available for customers with specific Swiss mobile contracts and international travelers with participating SIM cards.

Highlights
  • Free internet access on SBB trains
  • Faster and smoother connection
  • Utilizes mobile phone coverage
  • Automatic recognition via beacon
  • SMS confirmation for registration
Features
Read full description

Internet access free of charge from the app. SBB FreeSurf is available on all SBB long-distance trains (IC and IR). SBB FreeSurf is based on the excellent mobile phone coverage along the Swiss rail routes – passengers can benefit from a faster and smoother internet connection with more bandwidth than you get with conventional train Wi-Fi. Customers with a digitec, Quickline, Salt (Das Abo, GoMo, Lidl Connect are included), Sunrise or Swisscom mobile phone contract can surf the internet for free with die SBB FreeSurf app. Passengers from abroad will be able to surf the internet for free with a SIM card (also eSIM) from a mobile phone provider participating in SBB FreeSurf. Trains with a free internet connection are marked with ‘FS’ (for FreeSurf) in the online timetable. When boarding the train, the customers can open the SBB FreeSurf app. Automatic recognition takes place using a beacon. After registering successfully, the customers will receive an SMS text confirming that they can surf for free via their mobile phone provider. When alighting from the train or switching off the connection, you will receive a message stating that free internet access is no longer active. We only need customers to provide the mobile number to be used for registration.

Screenshots

transN4 screens
SBB FreeSurf3 screens

Verdict

The call

transN and SBB FreeSurf are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

transN ships an update every 4 months, SBB FreeSurf every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
transN versus SBB FreeSurf: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametertransNSBB FreeSurf
PriceFreeFree
Rating—1.2 (36 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—3.6% of reviews
Number of ratings—36 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.014.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size76 MB53 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTransports Publics Neuchâtelois SASBB AG

In-app purchases

None

transN

No in-app purchases

None

SBB FreeSurf

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is transN free?
transN is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SBB FreeSurf free?
SBB FreeSurf is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do transN or SBB FreeSurf have ads?
Neither transN nor SBB FreeSurf shows ads.
Which is updated more often, transN or SBB FreeSurf?
transN ships an update every 4 months, and SBB FreeSurf every 3 months. Most recently, transN was updated on September 21, 2026 and SBB FreeSurf on September 14, 2026.

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