bahntastic — browsing on the narrow gauge

We fetch the page through our server, throw the ballast overboard and deliver a text skeleton with coarse-pixel images — often more than 90% smaller. Click any image to load the original. Deliberately no logins: we never forward cookies, so signing in simply doesn't work this way. And to be honest: this is about saving data, not anonymity — the target site sees our server, and your path to us stays as visible as always.

bahntastic makes web pages light before they travel down the line: images load only when you click them, and trackers are blocked before the first request ever leaves your browser. Built for train Wi-Fi — helps anywhere the network barely works.

Weigh-in · the same news site

4.2 MB
without bahntastic
0.4 MB
with bahntastic

A typical news front page: images withheld, ad and tracker requests blocked. Depending on the site, 60–95% less data.

Departures

Platform 1

Images load only on click

Every image is replaced by a lightweight placeholder and simply not downloaded. One click loads exactly that image in full quality — or "Load all in HD" restores the whole page. You decide which image is worth the bandwidth.

Platform 2

Trackers stay on the platform

Known ad and tracking domains are blocked before departure. On a shaky connection it's precisely those dozens of small tracker requests that grind everything to a halt.

Platform 3

Everything stays with you

No account, no subscription, no servers: bahntastic transmits nothing to us or anyone else. The only thing stored is the position of your two switches — inside your own Chrome profile.

Second use · Every page readable on mobile

Platform 4

Any website. Readable on any phone.

Plenty of sites are barely usable on a phone — government portals, clubs, forums, legacy timetables. The surf box above turns them into a lean text skeleton that works on any display: the reader mode that works on every page — no app, no extension, no "page not supported". More: Text-only version of any website · Pocket alternative?

bahntastic · Free ticketvalid: everywhere

Install for free

For Chrome and Chromium browsers (Edge, Brave, Vivaldi). Install and go — that's all there is.

Download the extension
Free — and staying that way. Two switches, no fine print. The Chrome Web Store build is in preparation; until then: grab the ZIP, unpack it, load it as an unpacked extension in chrome://extensions — instructions.
Connecting train · bahnlan

bahntastic keeps the pages light. bahnlan keeps the connection alive: train Wi-Fi and mobile data bonded into one stable link, with neighbours carrying each other through dead zones. Board early: join the beta waiting list → (site in German)