# Heathrow Express vs Rail Runner

The clearest difference is rating: Heathrow Express at 4.8 against Rail Runner's 2.5. Heathrow Express also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 15 months) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Rail Runner's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, review sentiment, ads 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.

Heathrow Express holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Heathrow Express has 6.8K ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of Heathrow Express's written reviews are positive against 29% of Rail Runner's.

Heathrow Express ships an update every 3 weeks, Rail Runner every 15 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Heathrow Express | Rail Runner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (6.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heathrow-express/id399209321/reviews)** | [2.5 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rail-runner/id6472059317/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6.8K** | 23 |
| Positive reviews | **30.5% of reviews** | 28.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 15 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 63 MB | 65 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Heathrow Express](https://appshunter.io/developer/399209324) | [Rio Metro Regional Transit District](https://appshunter.io/developer/1716567206) |

## What reviewers say

### Heathrow Express

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heathrow-express/id399209321)

Plan and book your journey quickly and easily with live train times and instant ticket access. Manage your account details, payment options, and preferences for a personalized travel experience.

**Highlights:** Personalized travel information, Quick ticket booking, Live train times, Mobile ticket wallet integration, Account management

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast & efficient
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Convenient for booking tickets
- 🚀 Saves time
- 👍 Intuitive interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable
- 🐛 Tickets not showing up in app
- 🐛 Payment issues
- 🐛 Login/account problems

**Reported bugs**

- App crashing on ticket viewing
- Incorrect ticket dates/directions
- Payment processing failures
- Account creation issues
- Ticket information not syncing properly

**Requested features**

- Ability to add/manage tickets in app
- Improved ticket downloading/syncing
- More payment options
- Better account management features
- Live service updates and notifications


### Rail Runner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rail-runner/id6472059317)

Purchase train tickets and check schedules for Central New Mexico's commuter rail service. Access your tickets electronically, view purchase history, and receive important rider alerts for a convenient travel experience.

**Highlights:** Purchase train tickets on the go, Access electronic tickets, View purchase history, Check weekday, Saturday, and Sunday schedules, Receive rider alerts, Create trip plans

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Heathrow Express free?

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

### Is Rail Runner free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Heathrow Express or Rail Runner?

Heathrow Express is rated higher. Heathrow Express averages 4.8 out of 5 from 6.8K ratings, while Rail Runner averages 2.5 from 23 ratings.

### Do Heathrow Express or Rail Runner have ads?

Neither Heathrow Express nor Rail Runner shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Heathrow Express or Rail Runner?

Heathrow Express ships an update every 3 weeks, and Rail Runner every 15 months. Most recently, Heathrow Express was updated on October 15, 2026 and Rail Runner on October 4, 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.*