livedepartureboards.co .uk - If you are planning on getting the train, check it's running... (livedepartureboards.co.uk)

Member Name: jmarko

Product:	livedepartureboards.co.uk
Date:	20/08/08 (83 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Free; continually updated; reliable

Disadvantages: None

If you regularly travel by train in the UK, you will know that there is a fair chance that your train might be either late or cancelled altogether. Few people know that there is a extremely useful website out there for those of us that would like to know whether to run or walk to the station - or whether putting the kettle on and staying at home might be a better option!

www.livedepartureboards.co.uk actually redirects you to a section of the National Rail website.

Once you get to the relevant section, you can enter your particular station and, as if by magic, it shows you up to the minute information about where your train might be. Delayed and cancelled trains have their relevant times/cancellations show in red and you can click on them to see how far they have progressed in their journey - so you can see that your 3pm train from Bristol Temple Meads to Exeter St Davids is actually stuck at Birmingham New Street!

Users of Apple iPhones, Blackberries and similar mobile devices can make a direct link on their handheld device to the stations that they use the most. I, for instance, have links to the two stations that are closest to my office and the station closest to my home. This allows me to know whether I need to run to get to the station or whether I can go for a sneaky Starbucks on the way!

Since putting these links on my iPhone, I have not missed a single train.

In addition, they are a very useful alternative to carrying around or memorising a set of train timetables - you just look at the live departure board for your station to see when you can set off.

This is a remarkably useful (and free!) website that everyone who uses the UK rail network would be wise to bookmark.

Summary: A great way to avoid wasting time waiting for late trains!