Do you travel by train? These apps are worth having on your smartphone

According to research by the Railway Transport Office, the average Pole travelled by train at least 6.4 times in 2021. The data is skewed upwards by residents of the Lower Silesian (7.8), Masovian (13.6) and Pomeranian (19.9) provinces, while residents of Greater Poland are also very close to the average. The residents of the provinces in the east of the country use trains the least.

The UTK statistics looked much better before the coronavirus pandemic. However, 2021 was already a year of growth for every province. The future looks even brighter for railway workers. An increasing number of Poles are choosing to travel by train not only to work, but also for holidays or trips to other cities.

The increased number of passengers using PKP services is a result of the modernisation of the entire railway infrastructure. Although there are still some drawbacks – delays, outdated trains and the exclusion of some towns from the transport network – the situation is improving every year. A survey by Dr Katarzyna Piotrowska and Dr Katarzyna Staszyńska-Zagórska from the Kozminski University in Warsaw confirmed that as many as 89% of passengers have a positive opinion of Polish railways.

 

Small and big journeys

Do you use mobile applications on your smartphones when travelling by train?

These programmes are used, among other things, to purchase tickets (single, weekly, monthly), eliminating the need to stand in long queues at ticket offices and allowing you to check the punctuality of a specific train.

The apps are helpful and popular with travellers, especially those of the younger generation. Importantly, an increasing number of trains have sockets for charging electronic devices next to the seats, so passengers do not need to bring their own charging stations with them.

According to Wiadomości Handlowe, as many as 30% of Poles say they use mobile apps to pay for their purchases and bills, including tickets.

 

The most useful railway apps

Koleo

Koleo is an app that consistently enjoys a very good reputation among its users (average rating of 4.7 out of 5 in the App Store and Google Play, with over a million downloads). It was created in 2014 and is further developed by the Warsaw-based company Astrarium, a private entity not affiliated with any specific carrier or state-owned company, which distinguishes Koleo from other railway applications.

The programme brings together detailed PKP timetables, prices and a platform for purchasing tickets in one place. It is transparent and easy to use, and only requires the creation of a free account to operate. Users praise the variety of payment methods for tickets (including payment card, BLIK, quick transfer), which ‘arrive’ on the phone after a few moments.

Most importantly, Astrarium is constantly expanding its database of carriers whose tickets can be purchased directly in the app. At this point, Koleo cooperates with, among others, PKP Intercity, POLREGIO, Koleje Dolnośląskie, Koleje Śląskie, Koleje Wielkopolskie and SKM in the Tri-City, but – as the app administrators declare – it is technically ready to sell tickets for all carriers, except that not all of them are willing to sign the relevant agreements.

A disadvantage of the application is the lack of any information about train delays, which can be a considerable inconvenience when travelling with several changes.

 

pkp-timetable

The mobile version of the reliable website ‘Rozkład jazdy PKP’ (PKP timetable) only works on smartphones running Android, so users of Apple phones are left out. It enjoys the best reviews among the applications released by PKP and PKP Informatyka (average rating of 4.2 out of 5 with a million downloads).

It is a comprehensive information service about rail travel covering all passenger carriers in Poland, as well as the vast majority of European carriers. Once installed, the application allows you to search for connections, check arrival and departure times, and purchase tickets.

 

Bilkom

An application for checking timetables and purchasing tickets, designed and then developed by PKP Informatyka. It supports almost all major carriers and is a direct competitor to Koleo, although its ratings are slightly lower than those of Koleo, averaging only 2.2 points out of 5.

The advantage of the Blikom application is its integration with the mObywatel platform, which is the result of cooperation between designers and the Ministry of Digital Affairs.

 

PKP.appka

PKP.appka is a mobile application developed by Polskie Koleje Państwowe (Polish State Railways), which was launched in January 2023. Its preparation and development was handled by a subsidiary company – PKP Informatyka.

The application supports almost all major carriers, including PKP Intercity – long-distance connections, POLREGIO, Koleje Dolnośląskie, Koleje Śląskie, Koleje Małopolskie, Koleje Wielkopolskie – regional connections, and SKM in the Tri-City – suburban connections. It stands out from similar programmes with its station guide, where passengers can find all the most important information about a given station.

PKP.appka is a completely new project, so it has to go through a period of ‘infancy’. In the App Store and Google Play, users appreciate its clear layout and intuitive controls. However, the main drawback is the inability to purchase tickets directly in the app, which redirects users to the BILKOM website. According to an official announcement, the target sales module will be new PKP Intercity software.

 

PKP INTERCITY – Buy tickets

PKP INTERCITY – Buy tickets is the second app launched in early 2023, replacing the older and poorly rated IC Mobile Navigator (average rating of 1.4 out of 5 in the App Store and 2.7 out of 5 in Google Play).

As the name suggests, it was developed by PKP Intercity and focuses on the services of this carrier. Early users say that the app’s advantage is its ticket aggregation feature, which means that travellers do not have to search for files in their email or download them directly to their phone.

 

Passenger Portal (Portal Pasażera)
We have already reviewed several apps in this list, but we have not mentioned the train delay checking feature in any of them. This is where the Passenger Portal (we are talking about the mobile app, not the website) comes in handy. This platform focuses on tracking rail traffic, which is why it is essential to download it when travelling with several changes.

 

Which app should you download?

A major drawback of the mobile railway app market is its fragmentation. There is a lack of two or three specific platforms that collect all the necessary information and services that could compete for individual customers. Therefore, when travelling around Poland, especially with transfers, it is worth downloading several different apps and using their most important features according to your needs and preferences.

If you are travelling on long-distance trains, it is worth choosing the new PKP INTERCITY – Kupuj bilety (Buy tickets) app. If you appreciate a comprehensive and convenient layout, try Koleo. However, if you use different carriers, you can download rozkład-pkp or Bilkom.