Privacy Policy

1. Use without registration

The app's main features do not require a user account, name, phone number or email address. Saved trains and stations, recent searches, settings and an active journey are stored locally on the device when they do not require a server-side service.

2. Map and location

Location permission is used only when you choose a feature that requires it, such as centering the map or helping you approach your destination station. You may refuse the permission in Android. GPS coordinates are not sent as personalised Analytics events and are not included in the journey-notification registration request. Map providers may process technical network-request data, including IP addresses.

2a. Map tiles and external providers

To display the map, BG Train Live requests map tiles and related resources from external providers, including OpenStreetMap (tile.openstreetmap.org) and OpenFreeMap (tiles.openfreemap.org). Such providers may receive an IP address, request time, technical request metadata and coordinates of the map area being viewed. This may allow the area to be inferred approximately or, at closer map zoom, more precisely.

If you choose to display your own location, the map is centered on that position and requests for the visible area may reveal that area to map providers. GPS access is optional and may be declined or withdrawn in Android settings. BG Train Live does not add GPS coordinates to journey-notification requests or send them as personalised Firebase Analytics events.

2b. Search for stations, trains and journeys

When you use search, station names, selected routes, dates or times you enter are sent over a secure connection to the BG Train Live server to return results. A request for a particular train may send its identifier. Since the November 2026 privacy update, new application request logs record the route and technical connection details, but omit entered search terms and URL query parameters. Older shared system logs may contain earlier URLs with query parameters and are subject to the host retention policy.

Recent searches saved locally on your device are separate from these server requests. BG Train Live does not send the entered searches as personalised events to Google Firebase Analytics.

3. Journey notifications

When notifications for a selected journey are enabled, the server may process a technical notification-delivery identifier, train identifier, destination station, alert preferences, records of alerts already delivered and monitoring expiry. This is used to provide the requested function and prevent duplicate alerts. When monitoring stops or expires, the related information is eligible for cleanup according to the service lifecycle.

4. Optional usage statistics

Google Firebase Analytics is disabled by default and is enabled only if you choose to do so under More → Usage statistics. If enabled, it may process a technical identifier, session starts and duration, screens visited, app version and device type, and approximate country. We do not send selected trains, searches, journey history or GPS coordinates as custom Analytics events. You may turn this feature off in the same place.

4a. Automatic technical diagnostics

Separately from optional Firebase Analytics, BG Train Live uses Expo Observe (EAS Observe) to diagnose software errors and measure technical performance. In a release build, the provider may process launch times, performance and screen-navigation metrics, device model, Android and app versions, a pseudonymous identifier specific to the installation, and technical error/crash details. This data supports stability and troubleshooting. Turning off Firebase Analytics does not automatically disable these separate diagnostics.

5. Advertising and consent

The app may use Google AdMob banners and interstitial ads. Test builds use test ad units; public builds may use real ad units. Google may process technical identifiers, advertising identifiers and ad-viewing and interaction data. Where applicable law requires it, ad consent is managed through Google User Messaging Platform (UMP). Ad preferences are independent of the optional Firebase Analytics choice.

6. Technical logs and service providers

Hosting, servers and external providers supporting maps, notifications, advertising and updates may process IP addresses, request times and technical diagnostic data needed to operate and protect the service. Processing outside the European Economic Area may occur subject to applicable safeguards.

7. Retention and deletion

Local data remains on the device until you delete it or remove the app. Active-journey data is retained according to the monitoring period. The dedicated BG Train Live application journal is configured with a 14-day retention window and a 200 MB size cap; local BG Train Live backups are scheduled for removal after approximately seven days. Historic mixed-service logs may remain under a separate server-wide retention policy. Records held by independent providers follow their own policies. To ask about a specific retention period or request deletion, contact contact@masstech.bg.

8. Your rights

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you may have rights to information and access, rectification, erasure, restriction, objection, data portability and withdrawal of consent, depending on your circumstances. You may complain to Bulgaria's Commission for Personal Data Protection. Use the contact above to submit requests.

9. Policy changes

This policy is updated when there are material changes to the service, its providers or legal requirements. Where appropriate, a new choice or consent will be requested.