Using the Trip Planner on a PC: The Useful Extra Features

Our quest is to pack pretty much every requirement for planning a European rail trip into Conductor Sam - Let us know on the Feedback button if we have missed anything crucial out.

So we have had to burst out of the core planning tool to add multiple tools and features, so that your plan can be more than a list of stops and train times.

Also when you add locations and journeys to the plan, you'll see icons which let you make changes and use shortcuts.
Though, so they don't distract from the core function of adding the journeys and locations, they're deliberately (ahem) a little less obvious.

Using the full Location Tools

1 - When you add a location Sam will use a 2 night stay as a default so you can adjust that here.

2 - If you do, Sam should automatically re-add the journey from the location, to match the changed dates you'll now be staying for.

3 - Though if that doesn't happen you can adjust the journey here.

4 - If later, you want to remove a location from a plan, you can do so.

5 - You can opt to add a note etc that's connected to each location.

If you click that tool you'll see this window, which gives access to additional features, such as:

1 - Pinning down a date, because you need to be somewhere for a specific event or meet up etc.

2 - You can Add a note to the plan such as 'book a table for husband's birthday' or 'Don't forget to book the tickets for the art exhibition'.

Using the full Journey Tools

1 - Click this to Ask Sam some more questions about the journey.

2 - Click this to re-plan the the journey.

3 - Click this to remove it from the plan

4 - Click here to check the journey details and / or add notes
If you want to come back, so that you can check the connection details on a multi-train journey, then this is a shortcut.

The Trip Menu toolkit

1 - This can be found towards the top right.
Click it and you can access multiple shortcuts and features, including;

2 - Access to all of the Trip Notes you've added, so they can be checked over, re-assigned or removed.

3 - This is another short cut to adjusting your Travel Style / Preferences. 

4 - Create a link to the plan - so that more than one person can contribute to the planning.

5 - For the moment you can use this is a shortcut to rename the trip or delete it.
Though we have some ideas of other things that this tool will ultimately enable.

Managing the warning signs

Conductor Sam wants your plan to be as perfect as possible and needless to say, so do you.
Also your plan won't be entirely be fixed, so Sam can sometimes be clever enough to realise that things (well mainly the train timetables) have been altered, since you added a journey or a location.

So (1) look out for the red warning sign appearing on the Trip Menu; and (2) open it to see which aspect of your plan is affected.

If it is the train times...

... then (1) Sam will alert you to what's going on; and (2) suggest a fix.

Changing the Preferences

When you set up the plan, you can opt to select a Travel Style, which can be a match for how you prefer to travel.  

• First or Second Class
• Seat reservations: Prefer or Avoid
• Willing to take night trains
• Prefer to only take Direct trains
• Speed more important than scenic journeys - and vice versa.
• Maximum length of journey

 When you're putting together the plan, Sam will find the journeys between your locations, but a Travel Style will in effect filter them (see below).
So you'll be more likely to easily find the journey options will suit you.  

1 - When choosing a journey, you can access an Adjust Preferences tool - (1) which for ease has been split into four parts.(

2 -  If when you're in the plan, you'll want to add / remove travellers, you can do so.  

3 - Sam will do its best go hone in on journeys which match a preference.
So if you'll want the options on which the trains have level boarding and wheelchair spaces / accessible toilets you can tick this box

Though you will need to verify the information with the train operator prior to booking and travelling - and you can ask Conductor Sam to help you with this.

1 - If you haven't already selected your preferred 'Travel Style' this is an opportunity to do so.

2 -  If you adjust these sliders Sam, should then highlight the corresponding journey options - If they can applied to a particular route.

3 - A scenic journey won't always be an option.
Though because high speed lines tend to be a lot less scenic than the older 'classic' routes, making a preference can effect be a choice between faster vs more beautiful.

1 - Budget Traveller or Adventure Seeker = Sam will show you 2nd class journey options as a default; Comfort Cruiser = 1st class as a default.
So you can change this here.  

2 - Some European express train services, particularly in Austria, Italy and Spain, offer more than two classes of travel, so ticking this box can will also make those options visible.

3 - European express trains can have different reservation policies, - mandatory, optional and unavailable, so you can set a preference here.

4 -  If you have selected Adventure Seeker, the default is for this night trains box to be pre-ticked.
So if you haven't chosen Adventure Seeker and will be happy to consider a night train for some of your journeys, you will need to proactively tick this box.

5 -  A mix of journey options can be available between locations including Direct trains and journeys with connections.
So if they'll be your preference you can choose to filter out the journeys with connections - Though if Direct trains are unavailable, you will then see '0 journeys match your preferences.

This is the access to adjusting...
1 - preferred departure / arrival times; if you want to get to somewhere glorious as soon as possible, or would rather set off after breakfast etc;
2 - set limits for how long and tricky you'll prefer the journeys.  

The top Menu

Lots of cool things up here (even though yes, it is us saying so)

1 - If you click on the options marked with the 2, 3 or 4, this takes you back to the core planner

2 - Click this and you can access a cost comparison between using tickets or rail passes for your adventure.

3 - This is both a checklist of what tickets / reservations, you have and haven't booked; And for the time being, it provides access to the accommodation booking service on Conductor Sam (see below)

4 - When you are done with the plan, you can click here to turn it into a downloadable PDF, that can be stored for easy access on your travels, even when you are offline.

Access to the Accommodation Booking Service

You can book from a huge choice of hotels and apartments, so that you can easily opt to stay by a station, or in a location with easy access by public transport.

Click on the Booking Checklist button and you will see...

...a (1) Find Hotels button, along with (2) reminders and info to do with booking the rail tickets / passes.

When you click Find Hotels you'll see a map focused on your chosen location's central area.

So that when you zoom in, you should easily be able to find (1) the station and (2) the accommodation with the easiest access to it.