Comparison

MyRailwayMap vs Tetsulog

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

MyRailwayMap

Explore and simulate train operations worldwide on a detailed map. Watch trains move, drive them yourself, and even design your own lines and timetables. Features include real-time train following, 3D views, and exportable route maps.

Highlights
  • Global railway exploration
  • Simulated train movement
  • Train driving simulation
  • Custom line and timetable design
  • 3D and satellite map views
  • Exportable route maps
  • Train customization
Features
Read full description

Explore railways in Japan and around the world on a map, and watch the trains run. ■ All of Japan's railways About 650 lines and 9,100 stations in their line colors: Shinkansen, JR, private railways, subways, trams, monorails and cable cars. Filter by type, such as just the Shinkansen. ■ Railways around the world (World Rail Packs) Download rail data by country or region: Europe (Switzerland, Germany, France, UK, Norway, Türkiye), Asia (South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore), North America (US, Canada) and Oceania (Australia, New Zealand). Use it just like Japan's data, trains and your own lines included. More countries are on the way. * Requires a World Rail Packs subscription. Japan's rail data stays free. ■ Watch the trains run In train mode, trains move across the map. Move time with the clock bar or speed up to 3600×. Tap a train for its destination and arrival times, and "Follow" it. Tilt the map for 3D, or switch to satellite imagery (new). * All schedules are simulated by the app. They are not real timetables. * In tilted satellite view, lines and trains may appear off the tracks near tall buildings. ■ Drive the trains (new) Take the controls of any running train. Power and brake with the lever, stop on the mark and keep to the timetable. 8 camera positions and 4 angles, in 3D or top-down 2D. Start in Auto and take over anytime. ■ Design your trains Zoom in to see full-length car bodies. Design trains from 19 shapes, 13 paint styles and your own colors, and assign them to a line, service, timetable or single train. ■ Station and line details Tap a station for its lines and timetable, or a line for its stations. Search by name or show only chosen lines. ■ Build your own lines (one ad for an hour of use, or Premium) Place stations, connect them into lines and run through onto real lines. Extend existing lines from their end stations too. ■ Your own timetables and services Write timetables on a whole line or just a section: enter a departure time and the rest fill in. Create named rapid and express services, run through onto other lines, and let automatic trains run through or stay within a section. Add arrival times to hold trains for overtaking. (100 of your trains at once for free, unlimited with Premium.) ■ Stop charts and route maps Turn your services into a stop chart, or lines into a route map laid out from real station locations. Export as PDF or image. ■ Share your works Share lines, timetables, stop charts and route maps as a link or file. Links expire after 30 days; extend up to a year, update or revoke them. * Creating a link requires iCloud sign-in (not needed to receive). Anyone with the link can download it. ■ English and Japanese Use the app in English or Japanese. Names are shown in English with the Japanese alongside; search by either. ■ Premium (one-time purchase) - Unlimited train nodes (your own timetables) - CSV and JSON export and import - No ads ■ World Rail Packs (auto-renewable subscription) - Monthly or yearly, with a one-week free trial for new subscribers. Prices vary by country and are shown in the app - One subscription covers every pack. Separate from Premium - Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase - It renews automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Renewal is charged within 24 hours before the period ends - Manage or cancel in your App Store account settings - Any unused part of a free trial is forfeited when you purchase a subscription - Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ - Privacy Policy: https://github.com/yaapp1682-wq/railviewer-data/blob/main/PRIVACY.md ■ About the data Rail data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), published on GitHub. Some details may differ from reality; please tell us via the support page. All timetables and train movements are simulated; do not use them for real journeys.

About

Tetsulog

Log your train journeys across Japan, coloring in the lines you ride on a detailed map. Track progress, collect stamps, and review your travel statistics. Features include attaching photos and notes to stations, and an optional "Cab View" to retrace your routes.

Highlights
  • Log train lines and stations
  • Visualize ridden lines on a map
  • Collect station stamps and celebration cards
  • Attach photos and notes to stations
  • GPS station finder
  • Cab View for route playback
  • Detailed travel statistics
Read full description

Every line you ride fills in with color. Tetsulog is a ride-logging app that covers all of Japan: 163 operators, 571 lines, and 9,706 stations. Tap a station to log it, and watch the rail map become your personal achievement map. ◆ Made for · Frequent travelers to Japan who love its railways · Riders logging everything from Shinkansen to tiny local lines · Anyone starting "noritsubushi" — the challenge of riding every line in Japan ◆ Log your rides · Tap stations to check them off, or enter a whole segment at once · Pick any visit date — backfill trips from years ago · Attach photos and notes to each station · Find nearby stations with GPS and log them on the spot ◆ See it on the map · Ridden lines are painted in their real line colors · Filter to unridden lines when planning your next trip · Tap any line for progress and its station list ◆ Collect · Every visited station becomes a letterpress-style stamp in your book · Celebration cards appear when you complete a line, an operator, or a station milestone · Share the cards straight to social media ◆ Review in numbers · Progress by line and operator, plus an activity calendar · Rail-fan statistics like ridership-weighted progress ◆ Cab View (beta) Follow the stretches you rode from above, over satellite imagery and 3D buildings — and export the flight as a video to share. ◆ Pro (monthly / yearly / lifetime) · Unlimited favorite lines · Detailed statistics and the 47-prefecture heatmap · Watermark-free share cards · Export your stamps as an A4 PDF stamp book Browsing lines, logging rides, the stamp book, and iCloud sync are all free. ◆ Your records stay yours · iCloud sync carries your log to a new iPhone, free of charge · Export a JSON backup or a spreadsheet-ready CSV any time · The data is yours — take it to any other tool whenever you like ◆ About the data Line and station data are based on open data from Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT). See "Data Sources" in the app for details. Terms of Use: https://www.kkirukstudio.com/legal/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://www.kkirukstudio.com/legal/privacy/

Screenshots

MyRailwayMap4 screens
Tetsulog4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Tetsulog at none against MyRailwayMap's shown. Tetsulog also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly). MyRailwayMap's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. MyRailwayMap sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Tetsulog sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MyRailwayMap ships an update weekly, Tetsulog every 2 days. Both last shipped on November 12, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 5 level
MyRailwayMap versus Tetsulog: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMyRailwayMapTetsulog
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews77.3% of reviews80.0% of reviews — better
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 2 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size65 MB41 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperYasuaki YamashitaSungHyuk Yoon

Customer experience

MyRailwayMap

Written reviews22 reviews
Positive77.3%
Neutral18.2%
Negative4.5%

Tetsulog

Written reviews5 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

MyRailwayMap

Subscriptions2
  • World Rail Packs (Monthly)7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • World Rail Packs (Yearly)7 Days trial$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • Premium (one-time)$4.99
3 purchases

Tetsulog

Subscriptions2
  • Tetsulog Pro Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Tetsulog Pro Yearly7 Days trial$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • Tetsulog Pro Lifetime$19.99

Questions

Is MyRailwayMap free?
MyRailwayMap is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Tetsulog free?
Tetsulog is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do MyRailwayMap or Tetsulog have ads?
MyRailwayMap shows ads; Tetsulog does not.
Which is updated more often, MyRailwayMap or Tetsulog?
MyRailwayMap ships an update weekly, and Tetsulog every 2 days. Most recently, MyRailwayMap was updated on November 12, 2026 and Tetsulog on November 12, 2026.

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