Translink Planner vs Dublin Express
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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
Dublin Express
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Travelling with Dublin Express means getting more value for money as we offer low fares but first-class quality. You get more for your money thanks to our comfy seats, loads of legroom, free Wi-Fi, power sockets and unrivalled safety. There is also more convenience because we operate right across Dublin City Centre with 15 stops all across the city, including over 80 trips per day to Heuston Station. As well as this, we now operate in Belfast, with our ideally-located city centre stop serving coach trips from morning til night. All alongside easy booking and our friendly customer service.
Screenshots
Verdict
Translink Planner and Dublin Express are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
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.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Translink Planner | Dublin Express |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (215 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 18.5% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 215 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Every 6 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 111 MB | 51 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Ulsterbus Ltd | National Express Coach |
Bugs and 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
Dublin Express
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Translink Planner
No in-app purchases
Dublin Express
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Translink Planner free?
Is Dublin Express free?
Do Translink Planner or Dublin Express have ads?
Which is updated more often, Translink Planner or Dublin Express?
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