Trainline is a go-to app for many people who travel by train. You can check train times, compare ticket prices, and book your trip right from your phone. A lot of people like using it because it saves time and makes train booking easy.
But sometimes, the app just doesn’t work like it’s supposed to. It might not open at all, or maybe it gets stuck when you’re trying to search for trains or book tickets. Some users also face problems with payments not going through. This can be really annoying, especially when you’re in a hurry or trying to book something last minute.
So why does this happen? There could be many small reasons. The good news is, there are a few simple ways to fix it on both Android and iPhone. In this piece, we can give you plenty of troubleshooting tips to fix the Trainline app not working issue. Here are the most common Trainline app problems and how to fix them.
Why is the Trainline App Not Working Today?
There are a bunch of reasons why the Trainline app might stop working. Sometimes it’s just a weak internet connection, or your device has an older version of the app. It can also not work as intended or display random errors, if there’s some random bug, the app’s cache is messed up, or your phone’s memory is too full. Even having too many other apps open in the background can mess with how it runs.
Other times, it could be something like your account getting blocked, or the app just not signing you in properly. Using a VPN can also cause trouble since some apps don’t trust certain VPN networks. And yeah, once in a while, Trainline’s own servers go down for a bit. So it could be any of these small things causing the app to crash, freeze, or just refuse to load properly.
How to Fix Trainline App Not Working on Android & iPhone
Check Trainline Server Status
Trainline usually works fine, but once in a while, their services might go down. A quick way to check is by visiting a site like DownDetector. It shows if other people are also having problems with Trainline. You can even see a map there to find out if the issue is happening just in your area or in more places. You can also take a look at the Trainline Support page on X (Twitter) — they often post updates when there’s a big issue going on.
Check your Internet Connection
If the Trainline app is not working on your phone and giving you errors like “something’s off track”, your internet connection might be the reason. Try opening something else on your phone, like YouTube or a website in your browser. If that doesn’t load either, your mobile data or WiFi might be having issues.
If you’re on WiFi, try turning it off and switching to mobile data, or the other way around. You can also turn on airplane mode for a few seconds and then turn it off to refresh the connection. If nothing works, try restarting your phone or check with your internet provider if there’s a network issue in your area.
Close and Re-open the App
Sometimes the Trainline app doesn’t work properly just because it’s been running in the background for too long. I’ve had moments where the app just wouldn’t load properly or kept getting stuck, and all I had to do was close it and open it again.
So try this — fully close the Trainline app, not just swipe it away. Then wait a few seconds and open it again. Also, if you’ve got a bunch of other apps open, it’s better to close them too. Your phone needs a bit of free space to run apps without any issues, and clearing out the extra stuff can help more than you’d expect.
Clear the Cache of the Trainline App
If the Trainline app keeps crashing or just won’t load, clearing the cache can help fix it. Sometimes your phone stores bits of app data to make things load faster, but when that data gets messed up, the app can stop working right.
Go to your phone settings, find the Trainline app under the Installed Apps section, and tap on “Storage.” First, try tapping “Clear cache.” If that doesn’t help, you can also tap “Clear Data,” but keep in mind this will log you out of the app. You’ll need to sign in again after that. 
Offload Trainline App
Since iPhones don’t have a clear cache or clear data option like Android, the best way to fix app issues is by offloading the app. If the Trainline app is not working on your iPhone, offloading and reinstalling it can help.
To do this, open Settings and go to General. Then tap on iPhone Storage and find the Trainline app in the list. Tap on it, then tap “Offload App.” Confirm it by tapping “Offload App” again. Once that’s done, just tap “Reinstall App.”
Restart your Device
If the Trainline app is still giving you trouble, try restarting your phone. Just turn your phone off, wait a few seconds, and then turn it back on. After that, open the Trainline app again and see if it works better.
Update or Reinstall the Trainline App
Sometimes the Trainline app doesn’t work properly just because it needs an update. App updates often fix bugs and improve performance, so it’s always good to check if there’s a newer version available.
If you are using an iOS device, open the App Store and tap your profile picture in the top right corner. Scroll down and look for Trainline under the list of apps with updates. If it’s there, tap “Update.” You can also tap “Update All” if you want to update every app at once.
On an Android device, open the Play Store and tap your profile icon in the top right. Then tap “Manage apps and device.” Under the “Updates available” section, look for Trainline. Tap “Update” next to it, or choose “Update all” if you want to update everything.
If updating doesn’t help, try deleting and reinstalling the app. On iPhone, press and hold the Trainline app icon, tap “Remove App,” then “Delete App.” On Android, press and hold the app, tap “Uninstall,” then go back to the App Store or Play Store and install it again.
After that, open the Trainline app and log in with your credentials to see if it’s working fine now.
Disable VPN
If you’re seeing a message like “You have been blocked” on the Trainline app, your VPN might be the reason. Trainline may block certain IP addresses if they seem suspicious, and many VPNs are often linked to shady activity, even if you’re not doing anything wrong.
Some VPNs also use peer-to-peer systems, which can send other people’s traffic through your connection without you even knowing. That kind of stuff gets flagged quickly. So, if you’re using a VPN, try turning it off and then opening the Trainline app again.
If your account is already blocked, sadly, there’s not much you can do except create a new account and avoid using a VPN next time.
Log Out and Log Back In
Sometimes the problem is with your Trainline account and not the app itself. A better solution that often works is logging out and logging back in.
Just open the Trainline app, go to your Account tab, and tap on the Sign out option. After that, open the app again and sign back in. This can fix account-related issues that might be stopping the app from working correctly.
Use Alternative
This might not be the fix you were hoping for, but if the Trainline app still isn’t working, you can try using a different app or website for now. There are quite a few good options out there that can help you check train times or book tickets.
Some handy ones include Realtime Trains, whatplatform.co.uk, Traksy, LNER, TrainSplit, SplitMyFare, ScotRail, and Trainpal. They’re all pretty easy to use and can get the job done while you sort out the issue with Trainline.
If nothing else works, your only option is to contact Trainline’s customer support. You can visit their official website to find help or check their social media pages for updates. You can usually send a message explaining what’s going wrong, and their support representative should get back to you with some help.
