Comparison

Kölner Bus & Bahn vs railbutler

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

Head to head
About

Kölner Bus & Bahn

Navigate public transport in Cologne with real-time departures, journey planning, and intelligent leave reminders. Get instant access to stop information, service alerts, and personalized favorites for a stress-free commute.

Highlights
  • Real-time departures
  • Journey planning
  • Service alerts
  • Leave reminders
  • Vehicle type filter
  • Favorite stops
Features
Read full description

--- Bus, Rail, Real-Time Departures, Connections, Stops & Alerts --- Fast. Intuitive. Beautiful. Cologne Bus & Rail is your smart companion for public transport in Cologne and the surrounding area. Real-time departures, live service alerts, journey planning, and now with intelligent leave reminders — so you never miss your connection again. A clean, modern design puts all the information you need at your fingertips. Thanks to automatic background refresh, your data is always up to date — no manual reloading required. --- FEATURES --- • SEARCH Find any stop in the KVB network in seconds — just type and go. • "NOW" FUNCTION All stops and departures near your current location at a glance — no searching, no typing. • STOPS & LIVE DEPARTURES Real-time data for all KVB stops in and around Cologne, including current delays. • VEHICLE TYPE FILTER Filter the departure board by transport type — show only buses, only trams, or exactly the lines you care about. Your filter preferences are saved automatically. • LEAVE REMINDER (NEW) Never miss your train again: the app calculates your walking time to the stop and notifies you exactly when you need to leave — with a 2-minute buffer so you arrive stress-free. • FAVOURITES Your most important stops, always within reach. Add stops to your favourites and see only what matters to you with a single tap. • SERVICE ALERTS All current KVB announcements and disruptions in one clear overview — so you know before you leave the house. • BACKGROUND REFRESH The app keeps your data fresh automatically. Open the app and instantly see the latest departures. Always know when your tram is really coming — and with the new Leave Reminder, you'll know exactly when to head out the door. Cologne Bus & Rail is not officially affiliated with "Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe AG (KVB)". All data provided by VRS GmbH. No guarantee of accuracy. Cologne Bus & Rail is continuously updated with new features.

About

railbutler

Discover unique international train routes and compare ticket prices with rail passes. This app also integrates bus tickets for comprehensive travel planning. Get personalized support from real train experts for your journey.

Highlights
  • International train route discovery
  • Interrail pass price comparison
  • Combined train and bus tickets
  • Personalized customer support
  • Seat reservation information
Features
Read full description

Book international train tickets Traivelling finds train connections you won’t see on any other platform. Booking international train tickets with Traivelling just became fun. Interrail price comparison When you book your trip, Traivelling compares single ticket prices with the cost of an Interrail pass, including seat reservations. That way, you’ll reach your destination at the best price. Train and bus tickets combined Traivelling adds bus tickets where the tracks end or when it saves you a lot of time. Personal customer support Our team is here for you and handles your request personally. No bots – real train experts that can help you.

Screenshots

Kölner Bus & Bahn4 screens
railbutler4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: railbutler at Free against Kölner Bus & Bahn's $1.99. railbutler also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

railbutler is free to download; Kölner Bus & Bahn costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 5 level
Kölner Bus & Bahn versus railbutler: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKölner Bus & Bahnrailbutler
Price$1.99Free — better
Positive reviews20.0% of reviews—
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKrisztian Csehthreedeers GmbH

In-app purchases

None

Kölner Bus & Bahn

No in-app purchases

None

railbutler

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Kölner Bus & Bahn free?
Kölner Bus & Bahn costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is railbutler free?
railbutler is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Kölner Bus & Bahn or railbutler have ads?
Neither Kölner Bus & Bahn nor railbutler shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Kölner Bus & Bahn or railbutler?
Kölner Bus & Bahn ships an update every 6 weeks, and railbutler every 6 weeks. Most recently, Kölner Bus & Bahn was updated on October 27, 2026 and railbutler on October 20, 2026.

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