LUAS Realtime vs Translink Planner
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
LUAS Realtime
Get real-time tram arrival information for all red and green line stations. Save your favorite stops for quick access to up-to-the-minute expected arrival times, ensuring you're always on time.
- Real-time arrival times
- All red and green line stations
- Inbound and outbound tram predictions
- Save favorite stops
- User-friendly design
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This new and improved LUAS app is better than ever. It has never been quicker or easier to get the next LUAS times! Features: * Simple and easy user-friendly design. * Arrival times for all red and green line stations available. * Up to the minute expected arrival times for inbound and outbound trams. * Save favourite stops for quick access The application updates your arrival times on request to keep you up-to-date and on-time. With this application you’ll never find yourself out in the cold shivering after just missing the last one again! Save yourself time, effort and frustration! Disclaimer: Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, the information available in this application is for guidance only. The application developer is not responsible for any information that is not correct. The application developer shall not be liable for any loss or damage that may arise from the use or misuse of any information contained in this application.
Translink Planner
Plan bus, coach, and rail journeys across Northern Ireland and border regions. Get real-time travel updates, view departure boards, and purchase tickets for specific rail services. Features include interactive planning, ticket storage, and personalized alerts.
- Interactive journey planning
- Purchase NI Railways tickets
- In-app ticket wallet
- Real-time departure boards
- Personalized travel updates
- Accessible planning options
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Plan Northern Ireland and cross border bus, coach and rail journeys with the Translink Journey Planner. Plan from any stop, station or address, see your next departures and get the latest travel updates from Metro, Glider, Ulsterbus, Goldline, NI Railways and Enterprise services. You can also buy single, day return and 3 day select tickets for NI Railways journeys. Features include: - Fully interactive journey planning - Buy single, day return and 3 day Select tickets for NI Railways services - Store purchased tickets within the app wallet - ‘Next Service’ departure board - Plan with Park and ride and bike journeys - Personalised travel updates - Accessible planning - Interactive map planning with real-time Metro and Glider location and a tracking feature - Quick planning using your current location, favourite stops and recent searches - CO2 journey saving calculation
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Translink Planner at 4.4 against LUAS Realtime's 4.0. Translink Planner also leads on ratings volume (215 vs 5) and update cadence (every 6 months vs every 24 months). LUAS Realtime's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Translink Planner holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Translink Planner has 215 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 25% of LUAS Realtime's written reviews are positive against 19% of Translink Planner's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
LUAS Realtime ships an update every 24 months, Translink Planner every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on September 8, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | LUAS Realtime | Translink Planner |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (5 ratings) | 4.4 (215 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews — better | 18.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 5 | 215 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 24 months | Every 6 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 111 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | BAM! Software | Ulsterbus Ltd |
Customer experience
LUAS Realtime
Translink Planner
Bugs and requests
LUAS Realtime
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Translink Planner
Reported bugs
17 issues- App crashes on iPhone during ticket purchase
- Password reset emails not received
- Unable to renew or change passwords
- Journey planner adds unnecessary stops and complications
- Bus stops disappear when zooming in on map
Show 12 moreShow fewer
- Location loading blocks text input
- App doesn't refresh automatically without returning to start page
- Tickets purchased not visible in app
- Cannot book tickets for multiple passengers
- Concession tickets unavailable on mobile
- Inconsistent journey suggestions vs actual timetables
- Bus times don't match timetable posters at stops
- Cancelled buses don't show as cancelled, just disappear
- App shows buses arriving but they never show up
- Incorrect fare calculations and pricing display
- Unable to access certain routes (e.g., Kilkeel from bus centre)
- Timetable PDFs show 'page not found' error
Requested features
18 requests- Unified app for journey planning AND ticket purchasing
- Live bus tracking with real-time location updates
- Ability to view actual departure times instead of countdown minutes
- Show actual time alongside minutes remaining
- Complaint/feedback option for late or cancelled services
Show 13 moreShow fewer
- Simple timetable view without complex journey planning
- Live delay and cancellation notifications
- Apple Watch compatibility
- Exclude walking time option in journey results
- Direct access to timetables from home page
- Show platform/stop information for transfers
- One-click bus tracking from schedule view
- Ability to book tickets for groups over 10 people
- Support for concession tickets on mobile devices
- Better accessibility for tourists and non-locals
- Contactless card payment on vehicles
- Extended booking window beyond 3 weeks
- Proper ticket visibility after purchase
In-app purchases
LUAS Realtime
No in-app purchases
Translink Planner
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is LUAS Realtime free?
Is Translink Planner free?
Which has better reviews, LUAS Realtime or Translink Planner?
Do LUAS Realtime or Translink Planner have ads?
Which is updated more often, LUAS Realtime or Translink Planner?
Other comparisons
