# National Rail vs Translink Planner

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Translink Planner at none against National Rail's 1. Translink Planner also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (19% vs 7%). National Rail's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.4) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 6 months). On price, ratings volume, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. National Rail sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Translink Planner asks for nothing beyond the download.

National Rail holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 79 and 215 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 7% of National Rail'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.

National Rail ships an update every 2 months, Translink Planner every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | National Rail | Translink Planner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (79 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/national-rail/id519094154/reviews)** | [4.4 (215 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/translink-planner/id648823280/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 79 | **215** |
| Positive reviews | 7.4% of reviews | **18.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 5 MB | 111 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [National Rail](https://appshunter.io/developer/512167281) | [Ulsterbus Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/648823283) |

## What reviewers say

### National Rail

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/national-rail/id519094154)

Plan train journeys, check live times, and purchase tickets for the British rail network. Receive real-time updates on delays and disruptions to travel with confidence.

**Highlights:** Live train times, Route planning, Ticket purchasing, Real-time updates, Delay notifications, Save favorite stations

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ad-free version | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for planning journeys
- 🚀 Provides live train status updates
- 🚀 Useful for commuters and frequent travelers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable and buggy
- 🔍 Difficult to use and navigate
- 🔍 Lacks key functionality compared to previous version
- 🔍 Cluttered and visually unappealing interface
- 💰 Paid version required to remove ads

**Reported bugs**

- App frequently crashes or freezes
- Inaccurate train times and journey information
- Ticket booking functionality not working properly
- Compatibility issues with newer iPhone models

**Requested features**

- Ability to save favorite stations and journeys
- Option to view earlier/past train departures
- More granular search options (e.g. search by minute, not just 15-minute intervals)
- Improved live train tracking and disruption notifications


### Translink Planner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/translink-planner/id648823280)

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.

**Highlights:** Interactive journey planning, Purchase NI Railways tickets, In-app ticket wallet, Real-time departure boards, Personalized travel updates, Accessible planning options

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy journey planning functionality
- 🗺️ Helpful map integration for route visualization
- 📱 Modern app interface design
- 🚀 Quick access to timetable information
- 💾 Ability to save journeys to calendar

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate and unreliable bus/train times
- 😤 Frequent service cancellations not reflected in app
- 🔧 Clunky and unintuitive user interface
- ❌ Cannot purchase tickets within app
- 🗺️ Poor navigation and confusing layout

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is National Rail free?

National Rail is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Translink Planner free?

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

### Which has better reviews, National Rail or Translink Planner?

National Rail is rated higher. National Rail averages 4.6 out of 5 from 79 ratings, while Translink Planner averages 4.4 from 215 ratings.

### Do National Rail or Translink Planner have ads?

National Rail shows ads; Translink Planner does not.

### Which is updated more often, National Rail or Translink Planner?

National Rail ships an update every 2 months, and Translink Planner every 6 months. Most recently, National Rail was updated on September 27, 2026 and Translink Planner on September 26, 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.*