Creating, sharing, and managing trains.
Create a train
Schedule a new raid train with stops, timing, rules, and a cover photo. Riders who follow you get an alert.
- Who:
- Conductors.
- Where:
- Top menu β Create train, or the home page β + New Train.
How to use it
- Tap + New Train.
- Optionally make it a private train (hidden from public listings).
- Optionally let riders claim more than one stop.
- Upload a cover photo (max 5 MB) and an extra graphic if you want.
- Fill in the title, description, and rules.
- Your conductor country is set on your Edit profile page. United States is the default. Choose Canada once to add π¨π¦ beside all your train titles automatically.
- Add a signup question if you want.
- Pick the platform, category, start time, number of stops, and how long each stop lasts.
- Set follower or sales criteria and an approval deadline if needed.
- Set recurrence and number of repeats if it's a regular train.
- Tap Create train.
- Recurring trains create up to 3 copies at a time. There is no limit on how many trains you can have scheduled overall.
Private and draft trains
A private train is hidden from public listings. It still shows in your My Trains page under Private / drafts, so you can edit it and make it public when you're ready.
- Who:
- Conductors.
- Where:
- My Trains page β Private / drafts section.
How to use it
- To make a train private: tick the private option when you create it, or open Manage train β Visibility.
- To find it later: open My Trains and look under Private / drafts.
- To make it public: open the train, tap Manage train β Visibility, and switch it off.
Incognito trains
An incognito train keeps the rider line-up secret. The train itself is still public and applicants still see every stop time and which stops are free, but other riders show as "Incognito rider" with no username, follower count or show link. The conductor, co-conductors and admins always see the real schedule, and each rider can see their own stop.
- Who:
- Conductors.
- Where:
- Create a train β Incognito train, or Manage train β Info tab.
How to use it
- When creating a train, switch on Incognito train (highlighted at the top with the other train options).
- On an existing train, open Manage train β Info and switch Incognito train on or off at any time.
- Everything else (approvals, invites, invite codes, themes, criteria, reminders) works exactly the same.
Feature your train (supporters)
Active monthly supporters can feature their upcoming trains on the homepage. Featured trains appear in a dedicated section and are boosted in the Future Trains list.
- Who:
- Conductors with an active monthly support subscription.
- Where:
- Open your train β Manage train β Homepage feature panel at the top.
How to use it
- Make sure you have an active monthly support subscription.
- Open the train you want to feature and tap Manage train.
- At the top of the Manage train window, find the yellow Homepage feature panel.
- Tap Feature on homepage.
- The perk stays active while your subscription is active. Private, closed, and past trains cannot be featured.
The $2/month rider level is only offered while you're in rider mode; conductors see the $5+ options instead. It's for riders who don't conduct trains: unlimited email, text and push notifications, but no featured trains. $5/month features 1 train (one per calendar month, only within the final 72 hours, and never the same train twice). $10/month features 1 train with fewer restrictions. $20/month features 2 trains with a stronger Popular highlight. $50/month features 3 trains with the boldest Popular highlight and a pulse. Featured-train perks come only from active monthly support; one-time tips never qualify. If your subscription lapses, the featured badge and boost are removed automatically.
Add cover photos
Attach up to two images to a train. The main cover is the share image; the extra graphic is for raid-in or kickoff visuals.
- Who:
- Conductors.
- Where:
- Create train or Manage train β Cover photo / Extra graphic.
How to use it
- Open Manage train.
- Tap the image area for Cover photo or Extra graphic.
- Pick a file under 5 MB.
Pick a category
Tag a train with a category (for example Sports Cards or Sneakers) so riders can find it.
- Who:
- Conductors.
- Where:
- Create or Manage train β Category dropdown.
How to use it
- Pick a category or leave it blank.
Set up recurring trains
Set the start date and time, and optionally create repeated instances in one go.
- Who:
- Conductors.
- Where:
- Create train β Start time + Recurrence.
How to use it
- Pick a date and time.
- Pick how often it repeats and how many times (up to 52).
Make a QR code poster
Download a QR poster that links to your train. Great for sharing in DMs.
- Who:
- Anyone on a train page.
- Where:
- Train page β Raid Train QR Code button.
How to use it
- Open the train page.
- Tap Raid Train QR Code.
- Tap Download to save the image.
Share a train
Send the train link to others using your phone's share sheet or copy it on desktop.
- Who:
- Anyone.
- Where:
- Train page β Share this train button.
How to use it
- Tap Share this train.
Manage your train
The conductor control panel. Review applicants, manage stops, update details, and more.
- Who:
- Conductors and co-conductors.
- Where:
- Train page β green Manage train button.
How to use it
- Open the train page and tap Manage train.
- Use the tabs: Applicants, Stops, Train details, Schedule, Instructions, Show notes, Criteria, Signup question, Visibility, Multiple stops, Clone, Close, Delete, Block riders, Invite riders.
- Approve riders with the tick or decline with the cross. They get a notification.
Add stops to the start of a train
Insert extra stops before stop 1 without changing the times of any already-claimed stops. The train's overall start time shifts earlier to fit the new stops in front; every existing stop keeps its exact start time and rider.
- Who:
- Conductors.
- Where:
- Manage train β Add stops to the start.
How to use it
- Open Manage train.
- Scroll to Add stops to the start.
- Enter how many stops to prepend and tap Add to start.
New stops reuse the current first stop's duration. To add stops at the end instead, use Number of stops.
Invite riders directly
Send an invite to specific riders so they skip the public application queue.
- Who:
- Conductors.
- Where:
- Manage train β Invite riders panel.
How to use it
- Open Manage train.
- Open the Invite riders section.
- Search by name or @handle and tap a result to send the invite.
- Or tap 'Invite past applicants', pick one of your previous trains, and everyone who applied to it gets a nudge to apply for the new train. They are not pre-approved and get no stop. You still approve each application.
Riders can choose to only accept invites from conductors they've favourited (Profile β 'Only accept invites from favourited conductors'). If they've enabled that, you'll see a 'Not accepting invites' note next to their name.
Invite codes
Create a short code you can hand out to riders. Anyone who enters it joins the train as approved and can pick a stop right away.
- Who:
- Conductors, co-conductors and admins.
- Where:
- Manage train β Invite codes panel.
How to use it
- Open Manage train β Applicants tab and scroll to Invite codes.
- Optionally set a maximum number of uses (leave blank for unlimited), then tap Create code.
- Tap 'Copy code only' for just the code, or 'Copy DM message' for a ready-made invite message with the code and joining steps.
- Switch a code off or delete it at any time.
Codes bypass the application queue, so only share them with riders you want on the train. Blocked riders and riders without a Whatnot username can't redeem a code.
Train chat
Chat with other approved riders and conductors on the train page. Links in messages are clickable. Conductors and mods can delete messages.
- Who:
- Approved riders, conductors, and co-conductors.
- Where:
- Train page β Chat panel.
How to use it
- Open the train page and expand Chat.
- Type a message and tap Send.
Copy show notes
Copy the conductor's show notes in one tap, ready to paste into your Whatnot show.
- Who:
- Approved riders, conductors, and co-conductors.
- Where:
- Train page β Copy Show Notes button.
How to use it
- Tap Copy Show Notes.
Add to your calendar
Add a train to your phone or computer calendar (Google, iCal, Outlook, etc.).
- Who:
- Anyone.
- Where:
- Train page β Add to calendar button.
How to use it
- Tap Add to calendar and pick your calendar app.
Delete or archive a train you created
Close a train so it stops appearing as active. The train, schedule, signups, and chat are kept so shared links still work. Trains also auto-close 48 hours after the last stop ends and are permanently removed 7 days after that.
- Who:
- Conductors can archive, then permanently delete their own archived train. Admins can delete any train.
- Where:
- Train page β Manage train β Archive train button.
How to use it
- Open the train page and tap Manage train.
- Scroll to the bottom and tap Archive train.
- Confirm to close the train.
- To erase it completely, reopen Manage train and tap Delete permanently.
Archiving only closes the train; it doesn't erase it. To run a recurring train again (e.g. same time every week), open Manage train and change the Start time to the next date: every stop shifts, riders and the waitlist stay, and the train reopens automatically. Keep in mind: a train is permanently deleted 7 days after its last stop ends, so reschedule within a day or two of the show finishing. After that the train, its riders and its waitlist are gone for good. Once deleted you can't recover them; you can also Delete permanently yourself at any time. This cannot be undone.
Reschedule a train (change the start time)
Move a train to a new date or time. Every stop shifts by the same amount, so approved riders keep their stops, the waitlist stays, and reminder emails go out again for the new time. Rescheduling a finished or archived train into the future reopens it automatically.
- Who:
- The train's conductor, co-conductors, and admins.
- Where:
- Train page β Manage train β Edit train info β Start time.
How to use it
- Open the train page and tap Manage train.
- Go to Edit train info and set the Start time to the new date and time.
- Save. Every stop moves by the same amount and approved riders keep their places.
- Approved riders get an email letting them know the train was rescheduled.
Reschedule within a day or two of the show finishing: a train is permanently deleted 7 days after its last stop ends, and once deleted the train, its riders and its waitlist are gone for good. To run the same slot every week hands-free, see Never-ending weekly trains.