UK Train Times - App of the month, December 2010

UK Train Times does what it says on the tin, but that's not the half of it.

It can help you find the names and distances of your nearest stations, plan single or return journeys in advance, access live departure for any UK station, and work out the best way home at the tap of a button.

It's fully licensed by National Rail, and it won Mobile Product of the Year at the UK IT Awards 2009.

Where to get it:

Download UK Train Times from the iTunes App Store

Developed by: Agant

Platform: iPhone

Why is UK Train Times App of the Month?

Simply put, this app is a shining example of well-implemented accessibility with VoiceOver and Zoom, Apple's built-in screen reader and screen magnifier. Hats off to Agant!

User comment

Kojir Ghafoor says:

My closest station is unmanned most of the time, and I've often found myself waiting alone on a deserted platform. UK Train Times gives me access to the information on the board of whatever station I'm at right from my iPhone. It's gotten me out of a few tight spots too, like the time when I fell asleep on a train, woke up only to discover that the automated announcements had gone AWOL, and I had no clue where I was! At £4.99 it isn't the cheapest app in the store, but it lives on page one of my home screen, and I've never once regretted spending that fiver.

Tips and tricks

1. Be sure to choose a home station so you can try out the Next train home feature. It works out the best route for you based on the time and your current location.
2. Use platform info to its full potential. If you've ever found yourself navigating a station which is both busy and unfamiliar, you know how every clue can feel like a lifeline. To us, asking "is this the way to platform 10" felt better than "I'm looking for the train to Nottingham, do you know what platform it's on and how to get there" when we were putting the app through its paces.
3. Increase your efficiency with this app over time. Saving stations and journeys you use often as favourites will make them almost as quick to access as that Next train home feature. Searching for stations by typing the first few letters of the name when you're planning journeys manually will save you hours of scrolling past 14 billion stations you never knew existed.

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