Chronotrains
Chronotrains is a free interactive map designed to explore the reach of Europe’s extensive rail network. Enter a starting point and travel time to see reachable destinations by train.
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Chronotrains is a free interactive map designed to explore the reach of Europe’s extensive rail network. Enter a starting point and travel time to see reachable destinations by train.
Last updated
Was this helpful?
This tool helps users visualize train destinations within Europe. When users hover with the cursor over a city or a particular train station on the map, Chronotrains unveils a map where concentric zones radiate outward. This depicts all the destinations reachable by train within a chosen duration of up to eight hours.
Using the Map:
- Click on any train station to set it as your starting point.
- Select the amount of time you want to travel (e.g., minimum 1 hour, up to 8 hours maximum).
- The map will update to show the areas you can reach within the selected time frame.
As of Dec 2024, the map may sometimes include not just information on the approximate travel time but also the trip's price.
Exploring Options:
- Use the map to explore different travel possibilities. You can move around the map, click on different stations, and see how travel times change.
Key Features:
Interactive Map
Why it matters: This visualization helps users quickly understand the reach of train travel from different locations, which can be useful for trip planning and understanding regional connectivity.
Travel Time Visualization
Why it matters: This feature allows users to easily compare travel times between different locations, helping them make informed decisions.
Data integration
While originally used to plan trips, Chronotrains can be repurposed for open-source investigations.
This can aid open-source investigations with a time-sensitive location element.
It can be used to:
Potentially verify travel claims: By entering a location and timeframe, investigators can see if a reported train travel aligns with what's realistically possible.
Potentially track movement patterns: Analyze potential routes and locations reachable by train within a specific timeframe, helping identify areas a person of interest might have visited.
What the Map Shows:
Isochrones: Imagine you start at a specific train station. An isochrone map shows you how far you can travel from that station within a certain amount of time and in multiple directions. For example, it can show all the places you can reach in 1 hour, 2 hours, and so on, heading North, South, East, or West.
How It Works:
1. Building a Graph:
Think of a graph like a map, but instead of just showing locations, it also shows their connections. In this case, the "nodes" (points) on the graph are train stations. The "edges" (lines connecting the nodes) represent the journey times between these stations.
2. Exploring the Graph:
For each station, the system checks to which other stations you can get in a certain amount of time. For example, it might check which stations you can reach from Station A in 1 hour, 2 hours, etc.
Data Source:
Internet connection
Computer or mobile device
Data Unavailable for Some Countries
Currently, Chronotrains.com does not seem to provide train data for outgoing journeys from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, and Belarus. However, data is available for neighboring countries, and some connections are displayed. For instance, train stations in Croatia include destinations that extend into Bosnia and Herzegovina, which are then visible on the map.
As of January 2025, the map started including some train data in Turkey and Montenegro. Russia still does not have any data available on the tool.
While Ukraine is marked as available on the map, it may be incomplete. Make sure to cross-reference with other neighboring countries’ train data, such as Polrail, and Ukraine’s national railway network, Ukrainian Railways.
Accuracy
Adding Connections (“Edges”) Between “Closeby Stations” Based on Assumed Walking Speed
Closeby stations: If two stations are close to each other (less than 10 km/6.2 mi apart), the system will add a connection between them, which is then reflected on the map.
It is important to note that this speed can be variable from person to person and that this is an average estimate. So when looking at the data on Chronotrains, keep these limitations in mind.
Local Transit Exclusion
The tool does not show options involving connections by local transit methods such as buses, bikes, or walking. The tool provider offers the following explanation on the tool's Github page: "Because local transit is not included for most cities, there are no journeys available between different stations that can actually be connected by bus, bike, or on foot."
Specifically, as mentioned above, if two locations are more than 10 km/6.2 mi apart, it will not display a journey/connection. For instance, if a user wants to go from point A to point D:
a. The train stops at point B and does not go directly to point D.
b. You could take a bus or bike from point B to point C.
c. From point C, you could catch another train to reach point D.
If the distance between Point B and Point C (where the user intends to get a connecting train) is more than 10 km/6.2 mi apart, then it will not appear on the map.
These types of multi-modal journeys, which involve switching from a train to a bus or bike and then back to a train, are not included in the dataset.
Assumed Interchange Time
Some Trains May Be Not Be Reflected on the Map
No Single Dataset: Public transport route data in Europe remains fragmented, with no single comprehensive dataset available.
Regional Data Only: Other countries only provide data by region or by specific transport operators (like in France).
Hard to Combine: Because the data is so scattered and inconsistent, it's difficult to combine it into one complete dataset.
Chronotrains is best used in conjunction with other tools and other sources of information. Ensure transparency, acknowledge limitations, and prioritize obtaining corroborating information through other tools.
Transparency and Disclosure:
Accuracy:
Chronotrains data should be treated as an estimate or an investigative lead that needs further verification. While Chronotrains uses established train schedule data, it's important to consider if there could be any bias within that data itself. For instance, if certain routes are less frequently traveled or have less up-to-date scheduling information, this could skew the results generated by Chronotrains.
If less frequently traveled routes are underrepresented, the overall dataset might not accurately reflect precise travel estimates. However, this does not drastically compromise the overall quality and reliability of Chronotrains' data. These travel estimates can still be valuable, particularly when coupled with mitigation strategies such as regularly verifying data from multiple reliable sources, including real-time updates and local transit information.
Afton
How it works: According to the tool’s , this map integrates data from through .
The platform’s explains the tools' inner workings.
Deutsche Bahn (DB) Data: The information about train times and stations comes from Deutsche Bahn. Deutsche Bahn co-operates routes with different countries' rail systems () and therefore has data on train schedules for (based on 2023 Integrated Report, p.38, p.49). According to DB International Operations’ website, “DB’s regional services do not only operate in Germany, but also across borders and in other European countries, including the UK, Czech Republic, Denmark, the Netherlands, Poland, and Portugal.”
API by Direkt Bahn Guru: This data is made easier to access and use through a tool (API) provided by , which helps organize and provide the data in a convenient format.
Chronotrains.com includes a caveat (Under FAQs). Actual arrival times may not always match. Therefore, it is important to use this platform for estimates.
According to its , “closeby stations” and “assumed speed” are defined as follows:
Assumed speed: The system also assumes that you can walk/travel between these stations at a speed of 9/km/h (5.59 mph) - which is described as
According to its , when switching from one train to another, the system assumes it takes 20 minutes. Since this can be variable depending on the person or unforeseen transit delays, the data should be taken as an estimate and needs to be cross-checked with other train schedules.
, shows that certain train connections that should be visible on the map may not appear (to date, the issue described in the post does not seem to occur anymore at that specific location). In addition, there is another reason why some train information are missing. Since Chronotrains also uses data from Direkt Bahn Guru, this GitHub page acknowledges that: Also, according to this page, trains from smaller companies are often not included compared to those from state-owned operators, probably because they don't share data as much.
Data From Deutsche Bahn API Has .
Incomplete Data: According to this , public transport data availability varies across Europe, with some countries lacking entirely.
As mentioned above, Chronotrains uses data based on pre-scheduled train times and not real-time tracking. It includes this caveat under its section. As mentioned under the “Limitations” section, data are based on the user’s assumed walking speed and assumed duration for changing between trains. These variables can modify the estimates that the map shows. It is, therefore, important to disclose these limitations when using it as a tool for your investigations.
A description and demo for the tool, including an interview with the tool provider:
Benjamin Tran Dinh, , France,
