Using the Trip Planner on a PC: The map tool

The rail trip planning service on Conductor Sam is packed with tools you won't have seen before, along with shortcuts that can save time.

So to help you make the most of it, you can watch the video guide and / or look though the notes.

When planning a multi-destination trip on Conductor Sam, what my not be super clear (hey that's why Guides we're invented) is that the List mode, shown below, is the default.

It lives up to its name, because you can put together the core of your plan as a list...
- Journey
- Location
- Journey
- Location
- Journey 
- Location: It's your trip, so your List can be as long as you need it to be.

But even though the Conductor Sam trip planner is in its infancy we have already come up with a second method of putting together a plan - cos' Lists are super useful and erm, a tad dull

Hence the idea of also using interactive maps as a basis for Trip Planning = fun!

1 - You can switch into the Map tool, using the button at top left.

2 - As you're about to discover the Map Tool can be particularly useful for breaking up long journeys by adding stopover locations.
(We had the idea for the map when we were exploring solutions for how to add most easily stopovers to a plan.)

3 - The Map tool is an aspect of Sam we need Feedback for.
We're sure the idea of it is super-useful, but are we going about things the right way?

1 - We've guessed that showing the actual route you'll be taking with the use of the blue line will be appreciated.

In the example, you're seeing part of an epic and fabulous journey from London to Chur in Switzerland by train.

2 - It's a useful tool for selecting stopover locations, because you can see the towns and cites that the train(s) you will be taking, will actually pass through.
In this example, wonderful Strasbourg happens to be along the route.

Though it can be worth zooming in on the map to check whether the route actually goes through a a city or town, or merely passes close by.

3 - Would rather see your journey mapped as a straight line? You can see that we're here for you too.

Using the Map as a Planning Tool

In an innovation which we hope will win us a prize some day, the map can be used to add locations to your personal trip plan.
To do this simply click on a city with a black circle; these are the locations you have already added.

Do so and you can:
1 - Add a stopover location to a route that's already on the map.

2 - Add your next onward location to the map / your plan

(both of these 1 and 2 tools take you to the steps to add a location)

3 - Check and change the details of your stay in the location, which has already been added to your plan.

Adding Journeys to the plan by Using the Map

So in the example, we've added beautiful Strasbourg as a 'stop before' Chur, so now we need to add the journeys (1) and (2) to the plan.

If you click the orange train circles, you'll have instant access to the adding travel tools.

As you'll see a box will pop up, which also has a shortcut to adding another stopover location.

Adding your Onward Locations

1 - You can stay on the Map tool, which can be useful if you know what your next must-see location is.

2 - Or you can switch back to the List mode.
This is a good idea if you want to access the full planning experience, including the ability to Ask Sam.