Comparison

TrC | TfW vs Translink mLink

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

Head to head
About

TrC | TfW

Plan your train journeys across Britain with ease. This app allows you to check train times, purchase tickets, and manage your travel. Save money with discounted tickets and enjoy paperless travel with real-time updates and automatic compensation for delays.

Highlights
  • Check train times
  • Buy train tickets
  • Manage journeys
  • Save money on tickets
  • Paperless train travel
  • Live journey updates
  • Delay Repay compensation
Features
Read full description

Let the Transport for Wales app do all the thinking, so you don’t have to. Whether you’re planning ahead or travelling on the go, the TfW app makes it simple to check train times, buy tickets and manage your journeys to any destination in Britain. Gadewch i ap Trafnidiaeth Cymru wneud y gwaith meddwl drosoch chi. P'un a ydych chi'n trefnu teithiau ymlaen llaw neu’n cynllunio wrth i chi fynd, mae ap Trafnidiaeth Cymru yn ei gwneud hi'n syml gwirio amseroedd trên, prynu tocynnau a rheoli eich teithiau i unrhyw le ym Mhrydain. Save money - No booking fees - Access to Advance tickets with up to 50% off - Explorer passes with unlimited travel for one or four days on parts of our network. - Spread the cost with Pay in 3 from PayPal when you spend £30 or more - Dim ffioedd archebu - Mynediad at docynnau Advance gyda gostyngiad o hyd at 50% oddi ar docynnau - Tocynnau Crwydro gyda theithio diderfyn am un neu bedwar diwrnod ar rannau o'n rhwydwaith - Gwasgaru’r gost gyda ‘Pay in 3’ gan PayPal pan fyddwch chi'n gwario £30 neu fwy Smarter ways to travel - Manage your Pay as you go account for quick, contactless journeys (available on specific routes). - Easy to use design, shaped by your feedback - Improved performance across all devices - Improved accessibility for everyone, meeting the latest WCAG2.2 standards. - Rheoli eich cyfrif Talu wrth Fynd ar gyfer teithiau cyflym, digyswllt (ar gael ar lwybrau penodol) - Ap hawdd ei ddefnyddio, wedi'i lunio gan eich adborth chi - Perfformiad dibynadwy ar y dyfeisiau diweddaraf - Hygyrchedd gwell i bawb, gan fodloni’r safonau WCAG2.2 diweddaraf. Save time and effort - Enjoy the convenience of paperless train travel with train tickets added to your smartphone’s ticket wallet. - You can also quickly change or exchange your tickets in the app up to 18.00 on the day before you travel without any hidden charges. - Mwynhewch gyfleustra teithio ar y trên heb bapur gyda thocynnau trên wedi'u hychwanegu at waled dalu eich ffôn clyfar. - Gallwch hefyd newid neu gyfnewid eich tocynnau yn gyflym yn yr ap hyd at 18.00 ar y diwrnod cyn teithio heb unrhyw daliadau cudd. Enjoy live journey updates. If you purchased an Advance ticket to travel on a TfW service (for all or part of your journey) using the app or website, and have opted in then you’re covered by our automatic Delay Repay scheme if your train is delayed or cancelled. This means no forms to fill in to claim any compensation you may be entitled to. Key features - Save money with no added booking fees when you buy tickets on the app. - Get access to money-saving Advance tickets, and Explorer tickets. - Manage your Pay-As-You-Go account through the TfW app for smooth and easy travel. - Spread the cost with Pay in 3 from PayPal when you spend £30 or more. - Get real time travel updates. - Access Delay Repay if your train is delayed or cancelled from within your ticket wallet. - Make bike reservations on some services. - Change your Advance tickets up until 18.00 the day before travel without added charges - Customise your search preferences to save time purchasing your regular trips Nodweddion allweddol - Arbedwch arian heb unrhyw ffioedd archebu ychwanegol pan fyddwch chi'n prynu tocynnau ar yr ap. - Mwynhewch fynediad at docynnau Advance sy'n arbed arian, yn ogystal â chael mynediad at docynnau Crwydro Cymru. - Rheolwch eich cyfrif Talu Wrth Fynd drwy ap TrC ar gyfer profiad teithio esmwyth a rhwydd. - Gwasgarwch y gost gyda ‘Pay in 3’ gan PayPal pan fyddwch chi'n gwario £30 neu fwy. - Gallwch dderbyn diweddariadau a hysbysiadau teithio amser real. - Hawliwch Ad-daliad am Oedi os yw'ch trên wedi'i ohirio neu ei ganslo. - Mae modd i chi gadw lle i feic ar rai gwasanaethau. - Newidiwch eich tocynnau Advance hyd at 18.00 y diwrnod cyn teithio heb ffioedd ychwanegol From planning to payment, the Transport for Wales app takes care of the details so you can enjoy the journey.

About

Translink mLink

Purchase and use public transport tickets directly from your mobile device. This app allows you to buy various ticket types for multiple transit services, simplifying your travel experience.

Highlights
  • Mobile ticket purchase
  • Weekly, Monthly, and Day tickets
  • NI Railways, Metro/Glider support
  • Airport Express 300
  • Refund and Delay Repay information
Features
Read full description

The quicker and easier way to travel with Translink. Buy, receive & use your tickets via your mobile. You can buy your Weekly, Monthly, 3 Day Flexi and new 1 Day Peak and 1 Day Off-Peak tickets using your mobile phone. You can purchase NI Railways, Metro/Glider, Foyle Metro, yLink and 24+, Airport Express 300, Goldline services (within Northern Ireland), selected Ulsterbus and urby tickets. Full details of ticket validities, what to do if your phone is lost, stolen, damaged or faulty, how to apply for a Refund, how to make a claim under our Delay Repay scheme, further information and full Terms & Conditions can be found at www.translink.co.uk/mLink

Screenshots

TrC | TfW4 screens
Translink mLink3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: TrC | TfW at 4.8 against Translink mLink's 1.5. TrC | TfW also leads on review sentiment (19% vs 2%) and ratings volume (124 vs 8). Translink mLink's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks). On price, 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

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

TrC | TfW holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TrC | TfW has 124 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 19% of TrC | TfW's written reviews are positive against 2% of Translink mLink's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TrC | TfW ships an update every 6 weeks, Translink mLink fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
TrC | TfW versus Translink mLink: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTrC | TfWTranslink mLink
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (124 ratings) — better1.5 (8 ratings)
Positive reviews18.7% of reviews — better2.1% of reviews
Number of ratings124 — better8
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.014.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size42 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTransport For WalesCorethree Ltd.

Customer experience

TrC | TfW

All ratings124 ratings
Positive96.0%
Neutral0.8%
Negative3.2%
Written reviews134 reviews
Positive18.7%
Neutral12.7%
Negative68.7%

Translink mLink

All ratings8 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative75.0%
Written reviews188 reviews
Positive2.1%
Neutral2.1%
Negative95.7%

User reviews

TrC | TfW

From 124 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 User-friendly interface
  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 💡 Useful features like multiflex tickets
  • 🤝 Good customer service

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 🔑 Login issues and account management problems
  • ⏱️ Slow app performance and long loading times
  • 🔌 Inability to access tickets offline or add to digital wallets
  • 🤔 Confusing navigation and unintuitive design

Translink mLink

From 8 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great app
  • ✨ Aesthetically pleasing interface

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes frequently
  • 🔒 Login/password reset issues
  • 🚫 Lacks functionality compared to old app
  • 🤯 Confusing and difficult to navigate
  • 🔋 Offline usage problems

Bugs and requests

TrC | TfW

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App frequently logging users out
  • Inability to input station names or search for journeys
  • Ticket purchase and download issues
  • Live train information not updating accurately

Requested features

5 requests
  • Offline mode for accessing tickets
  • Integration with digital wallets like Apple Wallet
  • Improved live train information and disruption alerts
  • Ability to save favorite journeys and tickets
  • Better accessibility features for disabled users

Translink mLink

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Constant log-outs
  • Tickets disappearing
  • Crashes when selecting destination
  • Basket validation errors when purchasing
  • Password reset emails not being received

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add 'Add to Apple Wallet' button
  • Remember last route when buying tickets
  • Ability to buy tickets for multiple people
  • Integrate ticket purchasing into main app

In-app purchases

None

TrC | TfW

No in-app purchases

None

Translink mLink

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is TrC | TfW free?
TrC | TfW is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Translink mLink free?
Translink mLink is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, TrC | TfW or Translink mLink?
TrC | TfW is rated higher. TrC | TfW averages 4.8 out of 5 from 124 ratings, while Translink mLink averages 1.5 from 8 ratings.
Do TrC | TfW or Translink mLink have ads?
Neither TrC | TfW nor Translink mLink shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TrC | TfW or Translink mLink?
TrC | TfW ships an update every 6 weeks, and Translink mLink fortnightly. Most recently, TrC | TfW was updated on November 3, 2026 and Translink mLink on October 30, 2026.

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