[Traincustomer]

A hard-copy (i.e. printed) timetable is a necessity even in this, the internet age.

I have purchased the timetable book each year for over the last two decades. Its apparent demise is a sad day.

With a timetable book one can flick through the pages and plan a one-route or multi-route journey quite quickly, jotting down the key times on a page.
With individual leaflets the process is slowed a lot.

To print out all the route timetables one ideally needs to get an A4 ring binder with plastic pockets and all-in-all by the time the job is done there may be time left out of two hours for a cup of tea after which you may need to visit a computer store to replace the ink cartridges that have been gulped during the process.

On a day out or short break many people don't want to bring a laptop. Certainly nobody wants an enforced visit to an internet cafe or library.

Certainly the internet is great, but not the exclusive replacement of printed material. Throwaway remarks to the effect of ah sure it's on the internet what would one want a (printed) timetable for are sadly becoming too common in transport companies these days and demonstrate a lack of understanding of how the customer base accesses information.

Roll on the Irish Bradshaw. A definite business opportunity.