How credits work
The fuel that runs Conductor Sam
Credits pay for Sam's time — researching routes, planning itineraries, answering questions. Here's exactly what they buy, where, and why some tasks cost more than others.
What you need to know about credits
The short version, before we get into the details.
Pay as you go
No subscription, no auto-renewal. Packs start at $5.99 for 100 credits and are valid for 365 days.
Free to try
Every new account gets 25 taster credits on signup — enough to try chat, the planner and research before you spend anything.
Transparent
Your balance is always visible in-app and updates as soon as Sam finishes a reply. Failed answers aren't charged.
One credit = one small unit of Sam's effort
Behind every answer, Sam is doing real work — reading your question, searching the knowledge base, looking up routes, drafting a reply. Credits meter that work fairly, with no surprise bills.
≈ 1–3
Quick question
≈ 5–15
Route research
≈ 15–40
Trip planning
365 days
Validity
Rough guides — actual cost depends on how much Sam reads and writes.
What uses credits, and where
Each surface of the product charges slightly differently. Here's the breakdown by where you'll meet it.
In chat
Conversation with Sam
Anything you ask Sam directly in chat. The base message itself is free — you only pay for the work Sam does to answer.
Asking a question
Open-ended conversation about routes, passes, timetables, tips.
Knowledge lookups
Sam consulting the curated rail knowledge base of 300+ sources to back up an answer.
Train route research
Looking up a specific connection, schedule or transfer pattern.
Train ticket search
Searching live fares and availability across operators when you ask about tickets.
In the trip planner
Trip Planner
When you build a multi-stop trip step by step. Each turn is a small charge, plus the work Sam does to validate connections and reservations.
Each planning step
Adding a destination, refining nights, swapping the order — each turn the planner runs.
Itinerary build
Sam composing a coherent multi-destination journey with timings, transfers and pass logic.
Destination suggestions
Sam proposing where to stop next based on your interests, time and pass.
Reservation verification
Cross-checking that a leg actually needs a reservation, and what kind.
Doesn't use credits
What's free
A few things you might expect to cost credits, but don't.
Sending a message
Just typing and sending a message to Sam is free — you only pay when Sam works on the reply.
Quick suggested actions
The suggested next questions and shortcut buttons under Sam's replies.
Concierge service
Human rail expert plans the trip with you. Billed hourly, separate from credits.
Failed replies
If Sam can't complete a reply due to a server error, no credits are taken.
Tools not listed default to 1 credit per call, plus the reading and writing involved in using the result.
Optional extras
Fixed-price add-ons
A few things cost a flat amount rather than being metered by effort — so you always know the price up front.
Travel Guide PDF
100 creditsUnlock a single, beautifully formatted PDF for your trip — full itinerary, journey details with times and platforms, your booking summary, and per-country practical info. Print it or take it offline.
- One-time charge per trip
- Regenerate any time, free
- Always reflects your latest plan
- Print-ready A4 layout
Why the same feature can cost a little or a lot
Two trip-planning sessions can have very different costs. Three things drive the difference.
Factor 1
Length of your message + history
A one-line question costs less than a paragraph with attached context, or the same question buried in a long chat that Sam has to re-read.
Factor 2
How many tools Sam uses
"What time is the Paris–Lyon TGV?" needs one lookup. "Plan three weeks across Europe" might need a dozen lookups, an itinerary build, and several reservation checks.
Factor 3
Length of the answer
"Yes, that train runs hourly" is cheap. A multi-day itinerary with timetables, transfer notes and tips is much longer to write — so it costs more.
Cheap example
"Does the Berlin–Prague EC need a reservation?"
Bigger example
"10-day Interrail loop, Paris → Vienna, stops for food."
A few more details worth knowing
Credits last 365 days
From the moment you buy them. Plenty of runway to plan a trip, take it, and still have credits left for the next one.
Top up any time
No subscription, no auto-renewal. When you're running low, buy another pack — they stack.
Failed answers aren't charged
If Sam can't complete a reply because of a server error, you don't pay for it.
Live balance
Your remaining credits are always visible in the app, and update as soon as Sam finishes a reply.
14-day refunds
Changed your mind before you used your credits? We'll refund unused packs within 14 days of purchase.
Concierge is separate
For hands-on, human planning we offer a concierge service billed by the hour — it doesn't draw from your credit balance.
Credit packs for every journey
Buy credits to use Sam for planning, research, and expert answers. No subscription required.
Starter
- Credits
- 100
- Value
- Standard rate
- Valid
- 365 days
- Use for
- Chat, planning & research
Explorer
- Credits
- 300
- Value
- 17% off per credit
- Valid
- 365 days
- Use for
- Chat, planning & research
Adventurer
- Credits
- 600
- Value
- 30% off per credit
- Valid
- 365 days
- Use for
- Chat, planning & research
New to credits? Read How Credits Work. By purchasing credits you agree to our Credit Sales Terms and Conditions.
FAQ
Common questions
How is the cost of a reply calculated?
Why did this question cost more than a similar one?
Do failed or empty responses cost credits?
Do credits expire?
How much is the Travel Guide PDF?
Can I get a refund?
What if I need real human help?
Ready to put your credits to work?
25 free credits when you sign up — enough to try every kind of question.