diff --git a/HISTORY.md b/HISTORY.md
index 40214d13..c3e656ae 100644
--- a/HISTORY.md
+++ b/HISTORY.md
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ http://visjs.org
   on screen.
 - Implemented an option `focus` for `setSelection(ids, options)`, to immediately
   focus selected nodes.
+- Implemented animated range change for functions `fit`, `focus`, `setSelection`,
+  and `setWindow`.
 
 ### Network
 
diff --git a/docs/timeline.html b/docs/timeline.html
index aa0b89f3..93fc27fa 100644
--- a/docs/timeline.html
+++ b/docs/timeline.html
@@ -737,16 +737,23 @@ timeline.clear({options: true}); // clear options only
   </tr>
 
   <tr>
-    <td>fit()</td>
+    <td>fit([options])</td>
     <td>none</td>
     <td>Adjust the visible window such that it fits all items. See also function <code>focus(id)</code>.
+      Available options:
+      <ul>
+        <li><code>animate: boolean | number</code><br>If true (default), the range is animated smoothly to the new window. If a number, the number is taken as duration for the animation. Default duration is 500 ms.</li>
+      </ul>
     </td>
   </tr>
 
   <tr>
-    <td>focus(id | ids)</td>
+    <td>focus(id | ids [, options])</td>
     <td>none</td>
-    <td>Adjust the visible window such that the selected item (or multiple items) are centered on screen. See also function <code>fit()</code>.
+    <td>Adjust the visible window such that the selected item (or multiple items) are centered on screen. See also function <code>fit()</code>. Available options:
+      <ul>
+        <li><code>animate: boolean | number</code><br>If true (default), the range is animated smoothly to the new window. If a number, the number is taken as duration for the animation. Default duration is 500 ms.</li>
+      </ul>
     </td>
   </tr>
 
@@ -829,19 +836,24 @@ timeline.clear({options: true}); // clear options only
   </tr>
 
   <tr>
-    <td>setSelection([ids [, options]])</td>
+    <td>setSelection(id | ids [, options])</td>
     <td>none</td>
     <td>Select one or multiple items by their id. The currently selected items will be unselected. To unselect all selected items, call `setSelection([])`. Available options:
       <ul>
-        <li><code>focus: boolean</code>. If true, focus will be set to the selected item(s)</li>
+        <li><code>focus: boolean</code><br>If true, focus will be set to the selected item(s)</li>
+        <li><code>animate: boolean | number</code><br>If true (default), the range is animated smoothly to the new window. If a number, the number is taken as duration for the animation. Default duration is 500 ms. Only applicable when option focus is true.</li>
       </ul>
     </td>
   </tr>
 
   <tr>
-    <td>setWindow(start, end)</td>
+    <td>setWindow(start, end [, options])</td>
     <td>none</td>
-    <td>Set the current visible window. The parameters <code>start</code> and <code>end</code> can be a <code>Date</code>, <code>Number</code>, or <code>String</code>. If the parameter value of <code>start</code> or <code>end</code> is null, the parameter will be left unchanged.</td>
+    <td>Set the current visible window. The parameters <code>start</code> and <code>end</code> can be a <code>Date</code>, <code>Number</code>, or <code>String</code>. If the parameter value of <code>start</code> or <code>end</code> is null, the parameter will be left unchanged. Available options:
+      <ul>
+        <li><code>animate: boolean | number</code><br>If true (default), the range is animated smoothly to the new window. If a number, the number is taken as duration for the animation. Default duration is 500 ms.</li>
+      </ul>
+    </td>
   </tr>
 
 </table>
diff --git a/lib/timeline/Core.js b/lib/timeline/Core.js
index 7c33be50..2db38778 100644
--- a/lib/timeline/Core.js
+++ b/lib/timeline/Core.js
@@ -325,8 +325,14 @@ Core.prototype.clear = function(what) {
 
 /**
  * Set Core window such that it fits all items
+ * @param {Object} [options]  Available options:
+ *                            `animate: boolean | number`
+ *                                 If true (default), the range is animated
+ *                                 smoothly to the new window.
+ *                                 If a number, the number is taken as duration
+ *                                 for the animation. Default duration is 500 ms.
  */
-Core.prototype.fit = function() {
+Core.prototype.fit = function(options) {
   // apply the data range as range
   var dataRange = this.getItemRange();
 
@@ -348,7 +354,8 @@ Core.prototype.fit = function() {
     return;
   }
 
-  this.range.setRange(start, end);
+  var animate = (options && options.animate !== undefined) ? options.animate : true;
+  this.range.setRange(start, end, animate);
 };
 
 
@@ -363,15 +370,22 @@ Core.prototype.fit = function() {
  * object with properties start and end.
  *
  * @param {Date | Number | String | Object} [start] Start date of visible window
- * @param {Date | Number | String} [end]   End date of visible window
+ * @param {Date | Number | String} [end]            End date of visible window
+ * @param {Object} [options]  Available options:
+ *                            `animate: boolean | number`
+ *                                 If true (default), the range is animated
+ *                                 smoothly to the new window.
+ *                                 If a number, the number is taken as duration
+ *                                 for the animation. Default duration is 500 ms.
  */
-Core.prototype.setWindow = function(start, end) {
+Core.prototype.setWindow = function(start, end, options) {
+  var animate = (options && options.animate !== undefined) ? options.animate : true;
   if (arguments.length == 1) {
     var range = arguments[0];
-    this.range.setRange(range.start, range.end);
+    this.range.setRange(range.start, range.end, animate);
   }
   else {
-    this.range.setRange(start, end);
+    this.range.setRange(start, end, animate);
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/lib/timeline/Range.js b/lib/timeline/Range.js
index 20e9abff..98349baa 100644
--- a/lib/timeline/Range.js
+++ b/lib/timeline/Range.js
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ function Range(body, options) {
   this.props = {
     touch: {}
   };
+  this.animateTimer = null;
 
   // drag listeners for dragging
   this.body.emitter.on('dragstart', this._onDragStart.bind(this));
@@ -76,7 +77,7 @@ Range.prototype = new Component();
 Range.prototype.setOptions = function (options) {
   if (options) {
     // copy the options that we know
-    var fields = ['direction', 'min', 'max', 'zoomMin', 'zoomMax', 'moveable', 'zoomable'];
+    var fields = ['direction', 'min', 'max', 'zoomMin', 'zoomMax', 'moveable', 'zoomable', 'activate'];
     util.selectiveExtend(fields, this.options, options);
 
     if ('start' in options || 'end' in options) {
@@ -101,16 +102,69 @@ function validateDirection (direction) {
  * Set a new start and end range
  * @param {Number} [start]
  * @param {Number} [end]
+ * @param {boolean | number} [animate=false]     If true, the range is animated
+ *                                               smoothly to the new window.
+ *                                               If animate is a number, the
+ *                                               number is taken as duration
+ *                                               Default duration is 500 ms.
+ *
  */
-Range.prototype.setRange = function(start, end) {
-  var changed = this._applyRange(start, end);
-  if (changed) {
-    var params = {
-      start: new Date(this.start),
-      end: new Date(this.end)
-    };
-    this.body.emitter.emit('rangechange', params);
-    this.body.emitter.emit('rangechanged', params);
+Range.prototype.setRange = function(start, end, animate) {
+  this._cancelAnimation();
+
+  if (animate) {
+    var me = this;
+    var initStart = this.start;
+    var initEnd = this.end;
+    var duration = typeof animate === 'number' ? animate : 500;
+    var initTime = new Date().valueOf();
+    var anyChanged = false;
+    function next() {
+      if (!me.props.touch.dragging) {
+        var now = new Date().valueOf();
+        var time = now - initTime;
+        var s = util.easeInOutQuad(time, initStart, start, duration);
+        var e = util.easeInOutQuad(time, initEnd, end, duration);
+        changed = me._applyRange(s, e);
+        anyChanged = anyChanged || changed;
+        if (changed) {
+          me.body.emitter.emit('rangechange', {start: new Date(s), end: new Date(e)});
+        }
+
+        if (time <= duration) {
+          // animate with as high as possible frame rate, leave 20 ms in between
+          // each to prevent the browser from blocking
+          me.animateTimer = setTimeout(next, 20);
+        }
+        else {
+          // done
+          if (anyChanged) {
+            me.body.emitter.emit('rangechanged', {start: new Date(me.start), end: new Date(me.end)});
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    return next();
+  }
+  else {
+    var changed = this._applyRange(start, end);
+    if (changed) {
+      var params = {start: new Date(this.start), end: new Date(this.end)};
+      this.body.emitter.emit('rangechange', params);
+      this.body.emitter.emit('rangechanged', params);
+    }
+  }
+};
+
+/**
+ * Stop an animation
+ * @private
+ */
+Range.prototype._cancelAnimation = function () {
+  if (this.animateTimer) {
+    clearTimeout(this.animateTimer);
+    this.animateTimer = null;
   }
 };
 
@@ -284,6 +338,7 @@ Range.prototype._onDragStart = function(event) {
 
   this.props.touch.start = this.start;
   this.props.touch.end = this.end;
+  this.props.touch.dragging = true;
 
   if (this.body.dom.root) {
     this.body.dom.root.style.cursor = 'move';
@@ -327,6 +382,7 @@ Range.prototype._onDragEnd = function (event) {
   // when releasing the fingers in opposite order from the touch screen
   if (!this.props.touch.allowDragging) return;
 
+  this.props.touch.dragging = false;
   if (this.body.dom.root) {
     this.body.dom.root.style.cursor = 'auto';
   }
diff --git a/lib/timeline/Timeline.js b/lib/timeline/Timeline.js
index adb93774..a95c6f90 100644
--- a/lib/timeline/Timeline.js
+++ b/lib/timeline/Timeline.js
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ Timeline.prototype.setItems = function(items) {
     var start = ('start' in this.options) ? util.convert(this.options.start, 'Date') : null;
     var end   = ('end' in this.options)   ? util.convert(this.options.end, 'Date') : null;
 
-    this.setWindow(start, end);
+    this.setWindow(start, end, false);
   }
 };
 
@@ -172,14 +172,20 @@ Timeline.prototype.setGroups = function(groups) {
  *                                selected. If ids is an empty array, all items will be
  *                                unselected.
  * @param {Object} [options]      Available options:
- *                                `focus: boolean`  If true, focus will be set
- *                                to the selected item(s)
+ *                                `focus: boolean`
+ *                                    If true, focus will be set to the selected item(s)
+ *                                `animate: boolean | number`
+ *                                    If true (default), the range is animated
+ *                                    smoothly to the new window.
+ *                                    If a number, the number is taken as duration
+ *                                    for the animation. Default duration is 500 ms.
+ *                                    Only applicable when option focus is true.
  */
 Timeline.prototype.setSelection = function(ids, options) {
   this.itemSet && this.itemSet.setSelection(ids);
 
   if (options && options.focus) {
-    this.focus(ids);
+    this.focus(ids, options);
   }
 };
 
@@ -195,8 +201,15 @@ Timeline.prototype.getSelection = function() {
  * Adjust the visible window such that the selected item (or multiple items)
  * are centered on screen.
  * @param {String | String[]} id     An item id or array with item ids
+ * @param {Object} [options]      Available options:
+ *                                `animate: boolean | number`
+ *                                    If true (default), the range is animated
+ *                                    smoothly to the new window.
+ *                                    If a number, the number is taken as duration
+ *                                    for the animation. Default duration is 500 ms.
+ *                                    Only applicable when option focus is true
  */
-Timeline.prototype.focus = function(id) {
+Timeline.prototype.focus = function(id, options) {
   if (!this.itemsData || id == undefined) return;
 
   var ids = Array.isArray(id) ? id : [id];
@@ -229,7 +242,8 @@ Timeline.prototype.focus = function(id) {
   var middle = (start + end) / 2;
   var interval = Math.max((this.range.end - this.range.start), (end - start) * 1.1);
 
-  this.range.setRange(middle - interval / 2, middle + interval / 2);
+  var animate = (options && options.animate !== undefined) ? options.animate : true;
+  this.range.setRange(middle - interval / 2, middle + interval / 2, animate);
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/util.js b/lib/util.js
index f2a5fd4c..03fcbe2c 100644
--- a/lib/util.js
+++ b/lib/util.js
@@ -1243,4 +1243,21 @@ exports.binarySearchGeneric = function(orderedItems, target, field, sidePreferen
     }
   }
   return guess;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Quadratic ease-in-out
+ * http://gizma.com/easing/
+ * @param {number} t        Current time
+ * @param {number} start    Start value
+ * @param {number} end      End value
+ * @param {number} duration Duration
+ * @returns {number} Value corresponding with current time
+ */
+exports.easeInOutQuad = function (t, start, end, duration) {
+  var change = end - start;
+  t /= duration/2;
+  if (t < 1) return change/2*t*t + start;
+  t--;
+  return -change/2 * (t*(t-2) - 1) + start;
 };
\ No newline at end of file