About Us

Running close to 600 pages and listing around 50,000 trains, the Thomas Cook European Rail Timetable was long considered the InterRailer's bible until it was discontinued in August 2013. However, thanks to the persistence of John Potter, one of its original compilers, the timetable was re-launched as an independent guide after Thomas Cook handed over the rights to the publication. Aside from the duration of World War 2, the timetable has been in continuous publication since 1873 and we are proud to continue its heritage. In 2024 the business was sold to a new owner, a long standing subscriber, who is working behind the scenes to update business systems and our product range so that the Timetable can reach its 200th birthday in good shape.

The timetable is currently compiled by a five strong team of mostly former Thomas Cook employees. The team is lead by Editor Chris Woodcock and Deputy Editor Reuben Turner, who are assisted by John Potter, Peter Weller and Richard Stirk. The process of compiling the timetable is still very manual, relying on data from many different train operators or in some cases passionate locals.

About the Timetable

The traditional printed timetable with its distinctive red cover is now published twice per year in Summer (June) and Winter (January). For those that require more frequent updates the timetable is published monthly in digital form as an e-book which can be viewed on a PC, tablet or smart-phone.

The European Rail Timetable is an essential publication for anyone travelling around Europe by rail or who in any way requires knowledge of train times and routes. Its coverage is extensive, from Britain and Ireland in the west to Russia in the east. All of our timetables are comprehensive and each edition will contain the following:

• Timings for all major international routes across Europe
• Country by country timings for principal domestic services and selected tourist routes
• Schematic maps of all major rail & ferry routes (international & within each country)
• An index of places by table number (direct access to specific schedules)
• A list of the symbols used and how to read the timetable (also translated into Italian, German, French and Spanish)
• A calendar of public holidays and time zones
• Timetable news and updates since the previous edition.
• Travel Information including specific details on seat reservations, catering, tickets and supplements, 
• City Station location plans
• Selected sleeper services, cruise trains and car carrying trains
• A listing of scenic rail routes throughout Europe and the table number where they can be found.
• Airport links
• Shipping operators and the timings for the major ferry routes across Europe

Beyond Europe Timetables

The original 'Overseas Thomas Cook Timetable' is no longer in publication. However, we do cover a selection of tables in our Beyond Europe timetable which is available as a free digital download, accessed using a special code printed on page 3 of our seasonal editions. The 'Beyond Europe' timetable contains selected schedules from the following regions:

• India
• South East Asia
• Australia and New Zealand
• China
• Japan
• North America
• South America
• South Korea
• Africa and the Middle East