Thales launches ‘Rail Planner Live’ for Android smartphones

Thales UK today launches its new ‘Rail Planner Live’ app for Android™ smartphones. With our busy lifestyles it is important to have access to accurate travel information, quickly and easily. Whether you are on the move or planning in advance, Rail Planner Live gives you everything you need to conveniently manage your rail travel while on the move.

Powered by National Rail Enquiries popular Online Journey Planner and Live Departure Boards, Rail Planner Live delivers accurate and up-to-the minute results. The application is presented through an intuitive and customisable user interface, designed for finger-friendly touch screen control. It provides access to everything you need to plan your train journeys using real-time information on train availability, plus additional features including access to live departure boards, incident alerts and ticket pricing. It boasts two useful features: ‘Get Me Home’, to navigate you home using the most direct rail route available; and ‘Nearest Station’, which uses your smartphone GPS and mapping software to get you to the rail network as quickly as possible.

Rail Planner Live brings all the best features of the Online Journey Planner website direct to your smartphone and is available for purchase today. Visit the Android Marketplace (http://www.android.com/market) through your Android smartphone. You will also find a useful instructional video on YouTube by searching for ‘Rail Planner Live’.

This first issue of Rail Planner Live is designed for smartphones running the Android operating system. It will be released on other platforms, later in 2010.

Victor Chavez, Thales UK’s Deputy CEO, says: “This is an important development for Thales, demonstrating the diversity of our technical capabilities and our innovation. Rail Planner Live is a unique proposition for rail travellers and we are excited to offer a Thales solution at the fingertips, of literally thousands of consumers.”

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Notes to editors
Rail Planner Live was built on our long pedigree in delivering transport solutions and mobile technology to the UK and worldwide. These include the success of Online Journey Planner for National Rail Enquiries that averages more than one million hits per day; our recent achievements in delivering secure mobile phone solutions; and our considerable experience of delivering critical information systems to a wide range of customers.

About Thales and Thales UK
Thales is a global technology leader for the Defence & Security and the Aerospace & Transport markets. In 2009 the company generated revenues of £11.5 billion (€12.9 billion), with 68,000 employees in 50 countries. With its 22,500 engineers and researchers Thales has a unique capability to design, develop and deploy equip¬ment, systems and services that meet the most complex security requirements. Thales has an exceptional international footprint, with operations around the world working with customers as local partners.

Thales UK employs 8,500 staff based at 40 locations. In 2009 Thales UK’s revenues were around £1.5 billion.