# Trainline vs Railcard

The clearest difference is ads: Railcard at none against Trainline's shown. Railcard also leads on review sentiment (44% vs 29%) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). Trainline's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs monthly). On price, rating, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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 Trainline against 4.8 for Railcard. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11K and 7.3K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 29% of Trainline's written reviews are positive against 44% of Railcard's.

Trainline ships an update weekly, Railcard monthly. Both last shipped on November 8, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Trainline | Railcard |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trainline-book-europe-trains/id334235181/reviews)** | [4.8 (7.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/railcard/id1246748048/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **11K** | 7.3K |
| Positive reviews | 28.9% of reviews | **43.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 382 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [thetrainline](https://appshunter.io/developer/334235184) | [National Rail](https://appshunter.io/developer/512167281) |

## What reviewers say

### Trainline

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trainline-book-europe-trains/id334235181)

Book train and bus tickets across Europe with ease. Compare prices from hundreds of operators, find the best deals, and manage your digital tickets all in one place. Real-time tracking and crowd alerts help you travel smarter.

**Highlights:** Compare train and bus options from 260 companies, Best Price Guarantee, Real-time notifications and timetable tracking, Digital tickets to skip queues, Book in advance or same-day, Loyalty and discount card integration, Travel blogs and popular journey suggestions

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Apple Watch app, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient for train travel
- 🚀 Helpful for planning trips
- 🚀 Reliable app
- 🚀 Great for booking tickets

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app with glitches
- 🐛 Unreliable payment processing
- 🐛 Inaccurate train information
- 🐛 Poor customer service
- 💰 Expensive booking fees

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Inability to book tickets or complete transactions
- Incorrect train details and platform information
- Tickets not showing up in the app
- Railcard not recognized or applied correctly

**Requested features**

- Add ability to link existing railcards
- Improve search and filtering options
- Provide better notifications for train delays/cancellations
- Allow easy ticket refunds and exchanges
- Add map feature to locate train stations


### Railcard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/railcard/id1246748048)

Access and display your train ticket discounts directly on your mobile device. Never forget your discount card again and save on most train fares. Supports a wide variety of railcards for different traveler needs.

**Highlights:** Store railcards on mobile, Save 1/3 on train fares, Instant digital access, Supports multiple railcard types, Ready for next train journey

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💰 Great value
- 📱 Easy to use app
- 🚀 Fast digital delivery
- 🙌 Helpful customer service

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app/website
- 🤯 Confusing renewal process
- 📵 Unusable without internet
- 🤖 Lack of accessibility features

**Reported bugs**

- Railcard disappearing from app
- Download codes not working
- Incorrect/missing card details

**Requested features**

- Add to Apple Wallet
- Automatic renewal reminders
- Offline mode for digital cards


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Trainline free?

Trainline is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Railcard free?

Railcard is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Trainline or Railcard?

Trainline is rated higher. Trainline averages 4.9 out of 5 from 11K ratings, while Railcard averages 4.8 from 7.3K ratings.

### Do Trainline or Railcard have ads?

Trainline shows ads; Railcard does not.

### Which is updated more often, Trainline or Railcard?

Trainline ships an update weekly, and Railcard monthly. Most recently, Trainline was updated on November 8, 2026 and Railcard on November 8, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*