FAQs
About rakau
What is the rakau ONE?
The rakau ONE is a handcrafted real-time departure board for your home, office or business. It displays live bus, train, tram and river bus departures for up to three stops of your choice, anywhere in the UK. Built in polished plywood, it's controlled from any smartphone or computer — no app needed.
Is there a smaller version?
Yes — the rakau TWO is our compact model, measuring 54 x 14 x 9cm and weighing 2.2kg. It has all the same features as the ONE and can be wall-mounted or used freestanding. Priced at £450, made to order.
How does it work?
The rakau connects to your home WiFi and retrieves live departure data for your chosen stops every 15 seconds. This is shown on the LED dot-matrix display, updating automatically in real time.
What transport services does it support?
rakau supports all TfL services in London (bus, Tube, Overground, Elizabeth line, DLR, tram and river bus piers), National Rail services across the UK, and bus services outside London via bustimes.org. If it has a stop ID, the rakau can show it.
How many stops can it show?
Up to three stops simultaneously — and you can mix different transport types. For example, you could show your nearest bus stop, your local train station and a tram stop all on one display.
How does it decide what order to show departures in?
Departures are shown in "time to leave" order, not simply by arrival time. So if your train station is 10 minutes away and the next train arrives in 12 minutes, it will appear before a bus that arrives in 8 minutes but whose stop is only 1 minute away. The most urgent departure is always at the top.
Can I add a personal message?
Yes. Any text you enter on the configuration page will scroll along the bottom row of the display alongside the departure information — for example "WELCOME TO OUR HOME" or "HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEVE!"
Can it show football results?
Yes — your rakau can show results from a wide range of football leagues and competitions. You can choose to have results scroll along the bottom of the display alongside your departure information, or have the display show football results only. Results are shown for the last two days, up to 20 at a time. Configure your league preferences from the same web page you use to set up your stops and display colour.
What colour can the display be?
Any colour you like. The display uses full RGB control, so you can choose warm amber, cool white, green, blue, or anything in between. You set it using simple red, green and blue values on the configuration page.
Can I change the brightness?
Yes, brightness is adjustable from 0 to 100 on the configuration page.
What are the dots next to the arrival number for?
If you have more than one stop configured, the dots show which stop each arrival is at — one dot for stop 1, two dots for stop 2, three dots for stop 3. You can switch them off on the configuration page if you prefer.
Specifications
How big is the rakau ONE?
104cm wide × 24cm tall × 9cm deep.
How big is the rakau TWO?
54cm wide × 14cm tall × 9cm deep.
How much does each model weigh?
The rakau ONE weighs 6kg. The rakau TWO weighs 2.2kg.
How much power does it use?
21W — about the same as two LED light bulbs. It runs from a standard UK mains socket via the included power adaptor.
Do I need fast WiFi?
No. The rakau uses very little data — it connects to the arrivals service every 15 seconds and retrieves just a few kilobytes each time. Any standard home broadband connection is more than sufficient.
Ordering & Delivery
How much does it cost?
The rakau ONE costs £600 and the rakau TWO costs £450, both made to order. If you're in the London area, we can install it for you for an additional £70.
Are there any options when I order?
Each rakau is made to order in polished plywood. You can specify the cable length — standard is 2.5m, with options up to 5m.
What is the delivery time?
Both models are made to order. Please allow four weeks for delivery.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes — we ship worldwide. Please contact us for international shipping rates.
Does it make a good gift?
It makes an excellent gift for anyone who loves public transport, trains, buses or just clever things on walls. We can ship directly to the recipient and include a personal message if you'd like.
Do you offer a warranty?
Yes, two years. In the unlikely event of a fault, we will repair or replace at no cost within the warranty period. Please contact us at support@rakau.uk in the first instance.
What is your returns policy?
If you're not completely satisfied, you may return your rakau within 30 days of delivery at your own expense. The unit must be returned in its original condition and packaging. Once received in good condition, we will issue a full refund within 5 working days. Please see our full refund policy for details.
What aftercare do you offer?
The unit is very reliable. Free software updates are delivered automatically every night — no action needed on your part. Support is available by email at support@rakau.uk.
Installation
Can I install it myself?
Yes — most customers do. Both the rakau ONE and TWO can be wall-mounted or placed on a shelf, sideboard or worktop. Wall mounting is similar to hanging a large picture frame. The box includes a paper drilling template for the screw positions and self-adhesive cable clips for the power cable. You'll need a drill, wall plugs and screws (not included), and ideally a second pair of hands. Full printed instructions are included.
Do you offer a professional installation service?
Yes — we can install your rakau for an additional £70. This service is available in the London area only. Installation covers wall mounting or shelf placement, within a 5 metre cable run of an existing mains socket. We will run the cable neatly along the wall surface to the socket using the cable clips provided. Please contact us before ordering to confirm your location and installation requirements are suitable.
What do I need to install it myself?
A drill, wall plugs and screws suitable for your wall type (masonry or stud), and a spirit level. A friend to help is strongly recommended — the rakau ONE is 6kg and much easier to mount with two people.
Can the power cable be hidden?
Yes, though it requires running the cable inside the wall, which is more complex — particularly on solid walls. Most customers run the cable neatly along the wall surface using the cable clips provided. The power adaptor uses a slim cable so it's unobtrusive.
Which direction does the cable exit?
The power cable connects to a recessed socket on the back of the unit. Because the socket sits in an open void, the slim DC cable can exit naturally in any direction — left, right, up or down — making it straightforward to route to your nearest socket.
Does it need to be near a power socket?
It needs to be within cable reach of a standard UK mains socket. The standard cable is 2.5m — longer cables are available up to 5m, just specify when ordering.
Setup & Configuration
How do I connect it to my WiFi?
On first use, the rakau creates its own WiFi hotspot. Connect to it from your phone or computer, open your browser, and follow the on-screen instructions to connect it to your home WiFi network. Full step-by-step instructions with screenshots are included. You can also watch our setup video on the product page.
How do I configure my stops?
Once connected to your WiFi, go to rakau.local in any browser on the same network. You'll see the configuration page where you can enter up to three stop IDs, choose your display colour, set the brightness, and add a personal message. Changes take effect within seconds.
What is a Stop ID and how do I find mine?
A Stop ID is a short code that uniquely identifies a bus stop, train station or tram stop. Here's where to find them:
- TfL services (bus, Tube, Overground, Elizabeth line, tram, river bus): Visit tfl.gov.uk, find your stop, and look for the ID in the page URL.
- National Rail stations: Use the 3-letter station code (e.g. KGX for King's Cross, GLC for Glasgow Central). A full list is on Wikipedia's UK railway stations page.
- Bus stops outside London: Visit bustimes.org, search for your stop, and the ID is shown on the stop's page.
Full instructions with screenshots are included with every rakau.
Do I need a National Rail Token?
Only if you want to display National Rail train departures. It's a free access token from National Rail Enquiries and takes about 5 minutes to register for — you only ever do it once. Full instructions are included with your rakau.
Can I have more than one rakau on the same WiFi network?
Yes. Each unit just needs to be given a different name during setup. Full instructions are included.
Can I change the settings after setup?
Yes, any time. Just go to rakau.local in any browser on the same network and update your stops, colour, brightness or message whenever you like.
How do I turn it off safely?
Always use the Shut Down button on the configuration page before switching off the power. The unit is safe to unplug about 20 seconds after shutdown. Please don't unplug it without shutting down first.
Does it update automatically?
Yes. The rakau checks every night for software updates and installs them automatically — no action needed on your part.