Omio vs Trainline: Which Travel Booking Service Is the Best?

If you are an experienced traveler or are going on your first journey, you will probably have to decide what mode of transportation to use between cities and countries. That’s where two of the most popular travel booking platforms in the UK and Europe come in: Trainline and Omio. Having their own pros and cons, each of them stands out in some specific feature that the others don’t have. Our detailed comparison of these websites will help you understand which one is more suitable for your next trip.

Best Travel Platforms Overview

About Omio

Omio is an online aggregator that compares train, flight, ferry, and bus tickets. Launched more than 12 years ago, it has become a trusted ticket provider for travelers around the world. On the website, there are such useful tools as price comparisons, real-time updates, and mobile tickets, helping travellers to quickly choose and purchase any ticket they need.

There are more than 20 language versions of the site: Asian and many European languages. So it would be comfortable for the majority of its customers. Omio sells train tickets in Europe, the UK, and North America (the USA and Canada).

About Trainline

Trainline (thetrainline.com) is a UK rail and coach ticket provider operating not only in Britain, but also in many European countries. An interesting fact about them is that, at the beginning, they sold tickets via a phone line. This is why the name “Trainline” appeared. 

These days, their website sells train tickets and rail cards, focusing mostly on trains in the UK. Also, you can find live train times and station information on their website and mobile apps. There are over 15 language versions of the site, mostly EU. So, it might be somewhat frustrating for Asians.

User-Friendliness

We have been analyzing both platforms and apps and can definitely say that each of them is easy to use and was created with users in mind. However, they have some differences that we would like to share.

Unlike Trainline, Omio has its powerful search and filtering features on both desktop and mobile. You can easily sort results by price, number of stops, duration, and departure time, which is incredibly convenient. 

It also supports multiple types of transport: not only trains but also buses, planes, and ferries. So you can plan a trip across multiple distant countries. The booking process is fast and simple, with a clean layout, minimal pop-ups, and quick load times, especially in the mobile app.

Trainline, on the other hand, shines in certain areas, especially for UK train bookings. The app just lists departures by time, and there are no filters available. The desktop version includes a helpful ticket breakdown table. So it is easy to navigate the complex UK fare system. It also shows split-ticketing options, which can save you money. 

In summary, we would note that Omio is the winner for ease of use, better filters, and multi-country journeys. Nevertheless, Trainline is a better option for UK-specific features, especially on desktop. Omio is smoother overall, while Trainline is functional but a bit clunky, especially on mobile.

Countries Available

As for transport coverage, the Omio website says that they provide over 1,000 transportation companies for trains, buses, flights, ferries, cars, and airport transfers. We researched the official website and found out that the most popular train destinations include the UK and European countries. Indeed, there are dedicated points in the main menu of the website for trains to Germany, France, Spain, the UK, Italy, and the USA.

Similar to Omio, Trainline works with over 250 providers and offers trains to the UK and 45 European countries. They have a specific mention for UK customers, stating that they sell train tickets on behalf of all UK rail companies, including 28 British providers. It’s no wonder that experienced travelers prefer Trainline when planning their trips to Britain.

Using Mobile Apps

Both Omio and Trainline have their own mobile apps, which can be found on the App Store, Google Play Market, and Huawei App Gallery (only for Omio). Their designs are user-friendly and neat, and they are available in numerous languages.

In the Omio app, users can search for tickets instantly, compare the quickest and cheapest routes from official partners, and book tickets in their language. There are useful filters for stops, prices, departure and arrival times, stations, durations, and companies providing transportation. Users can sort by recommendation, cheapest price, fastest, and departure time (e.g., the earliest option will be shown first). 

After selecting a journey, they can add their personal details and pay using the appropriate method. Their ticket will appear in a designated section of the Omio mobile app – Your Bookings. This makes it accessible whenever needed, without the need to print anything.

At first glance, the Trainline app has a more complicated search function. Users must agree to share their location in the settings. There are no sorting or filtering options available for users, only the “Earlier Trains” filter at the top of the list. This can be frustrating for travellers who know exactly what they are looking for.

When choosing a suitable ticket, users can enter their details such as name, surname, and date of birth, and proceed to the checkout. All purchased tickets are displayed in the “My Tickets” menu, which can be found at the bottom of the screen.

Prices & Fees

Fees

When it comes to buying tickets online, transparency is important. This means that most people prefer instant price offers over additional last-minute price surcharges.

In case of extra fees, Omio is upfront about its service fees. You’ll see the final price (including the fee) before you enter your personal info or create an account. It’s a small detail, but an essential one. The booking process is clean and clear, and you know exactly what you’re paying for from the start.

Unlike Omio, Trainline adds service fees at the very end of the checkout process, after you’ve already made an account and entered your data. On top of that, their fees can vary depending on the journey, and it’s not obvious to calculate them beforehand.

That said, when it comes to actual ticket prices, there’s usually no big difference between the two platforms. Both partner with the same transport companies, and the base prices are set by the operators, not the platforms.

Each company adds service fees on certain bookings, which means you’re often paying slightly more than if you booked directly with the transport provider. It is not an upside, although. You’re paying for convenience—one site, all routes, no need to search across multiple platforms. 

Costs

We decided to take a comparison of prices and train classes for routes between Rome, Italy, and Paris, France, on the  12th of June, with departure at midday on both Omio and Trainline platforms:

As you can see from the above, Trainline offers more affordable prices and more departure options around midday. However, if you are looking for more direct routes, your choice is Omio, but at a higher price. The classes of service are similar for both operators: Trenitalia Frecciarossa and Italo are the most excellent train providers in the region. 

Promotions and Discounts

Compared to Trainline, Omio often offers promo codes throughout the year, and sometimes even drops coupons directly into your app inbox. You can also enter your age and add any discount cards you have during the search, which can unlock lower fares in certain countries.

If you’re a student, Omio’s deals get even better. New users can get 10% off their first app booking, and after that, they’ll get 5% off all future bookings. Just create a free Student Beans account, verify your student status, which takes about 2 minutes, and use the code at checkout.

Trainline, on the other hand, doesn’t run many general promos. But you can buy and store a UK Railcard right in the app, which saves you 1/3 on all UK train trips. Most travelers use this a lot in the UK, and it easily saves them hundreds. It’s a feature Omio doesn’t offer.

Payment Options

Payment options probably won’t be a decisive factor for most people, since both Omio and Trainline support all the major methods, like credit cards, PayPal, and Apple Pay.

That said, Omio definitely has more payment options. You can pay in 26 currencies using 17 payment methods, including digital wallets like Alipay and bank transfers like Sofort, iDEAL, and Klarna. It’s great if you’re booking while traveling or living abroad.

Trainline supports fewer currencies, around 10, and payment options are a bit more limited—mostly cards and major wallets like PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.

So while both have numerous payment methods, Omio gives you more flexibility, especially if you’re outside the usual euro/dollar zones.

Choosing a Seat

When it comes to seat reservations, Trainline gives you more control. You can pick your exact spot on some routes—like a window seat or one with extra legroom, just like on a plane. It costs around $2, the same as booking directly with the train company.

Omio, on the other hand, only lets you choose a seat preference (like window or aisle), not the exact seat. That’s usually fine for most trips, but if you like knowing exactly where you’ll sit, Trainline is the better option.

Referal Program

One more advantage of Omio is that it has a “Refer a Friend” program that’s actually pretty great. You get €10 for every friend you invite, and they get €1 off their first booking. This is beneficial for both parties. 

For example, if you’re a social person or have many social media followers, you can earn up to €1,000 in referral credits. These credits appear at checkout and can only be used for bookings made and paid through Omio. 

Unlike its competitors, Trainline does not offer a referral program. Instead, they have an affiliate program for influencers, but this is more suitable for people who travel regularly than for everyday travelers. You cannot simply invite your friends to use the platform to earn extra cash in your account.

Final Thoughts: Where To Buy Train Tickets

After conducting quite thorough research on Omio vs Trainline, we are ready to share our final verdict.

Our recommendation is to use Omio if you:

• Want to book trains, buses, flights, and ferries in one place.
• Are traveling across multiple countries or continents (Europe, the US, Canada).
• Prefer a wider range of payment options and currencies.
• Are a student (10% off first app booking + 5% off future trips via Student Beans).
• Want to use the €10 refer-a-friend program (up to €1000 in credit).
• Don’t mind a small fee for convenience and simplicity.

However, you should choose Trainline if you:

• Are focused on train travel, especially in the UK or mainland Europe.
• Plan to use a UK Railcard and want to store it in-app.
• Want smarter route options that can be quicker and cheaper.
• Need easy access to invoices for business travel.
• Also, don’t mind a small service fee for convenience.

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