Responding to the constant rise in passengers accessing National Rail Enquiries (NRE) services on-the-move via their mobiles, the UK’s busiest travel website has now launched its first owned and free mobile travel application for iPhone and Android users.

Shooting straight to the top spot for free travel apps after just one day, the fast take up of this app is quickly helping to improve the ease and speed of rail journeys up and down the country.

The NRE app is both free and gives real-time train progress information rather than being timetable driven.

This allows passengers to be alerted to any disruptions and re-plan their journey immediately, giving unprecedented transparency into the rail network and making the lives of every rail passenger easier.

Designed and created by NRE’s digital agency Fortune Cookie, this advanced use of mobile technology sets a new benchmark for traveller information services by allowing users to track specific trains along their route. 

Justin Cooke, chief executive of Fortune Cookie and chair of BIMA, explained: “There were over 7 million visits to the NRE website from mobile devices last month - Britain’s rail travellers want real-time service information wherever they are so their journeys can be as stress-free as possible, and that’s exactly what this app gives them. 

“Being able to re-plan your journey on the move makes peoples everyday lives that little bit better, and the inclusion of personalised, real-time journey tracking and location based features make the app an example of genuine mobile utility.”

The app is particularly helpful for London commuters with journey planning to or from any Dockland Light Railway or London Underground Zone One station.

And with more than four million extra visitors expected to use our transport network during the Olympics, this app will help give us, and our visitors the means to effectively plan our journeys on the go and keep on top of the large volume of expected disruptions.

Two unique features of the app are push notifications and alerts of any delays or service changes and the ability to plan a journey with real time information, on the go, without the need for an Internet connection.

The apps ability to personalise its notifications and alerts to individual’s chosen and regularly used services and stations is an especially useful feature that further sets this service apart.

The app even features a helpful ‘wake me up alarm’ to alert passengers when they are approaching their final destination.

Chief executive of National Rail Enquiries, Chris Scoggins, is enthusiastic about the launch: “Development and innovation are at the forefront of all we do at National Rail Enquiries, and we are confident that this app will help the growing number of smartphone users to quickly and easily access up-to-date information about train services while on the move.

“Innovation in the mobile market continues to gather pace, and we are delighted to offer customers the choice of a free app that provides relevant, real time information about UK train journeys,” concluded Scoggins.