Recommendation for easy e-ticket app (not Trainline)

[Joe Paxton]

Hi. There's someone I know who often gets in a right tizzy about buying train tickets. Often I think it's a case of making a mountain out of a molehill, but the world has many people like that!

eTickets have become available on many of the journeys they make, and I think they'd benefit. (Most journeys would be walk-up tickets, not Advances.)

However what they'd need is a simple, easy to use and intuitive app within which they can both buy and display their e-tickets. The Trainline's pretty slick app seems to fit the bill, but for the booking fees which are irksome.

I know booking fees aren't charged by the Trainline for purchases made on the day of travel, but I think this person would probably like to have the option to buy the day before travel.

My own rail ticket purchasing 'strategy' (if it can be called that!) is a bit all over the place and so definitely isn't a model for them to copy! However when I do use eTickets, I don't generally display them in the retailer's app but just have them as PDFs on my phone (or sometimes even as print-outs) - indeed I might not even have the retailers app installed.

So, what Trainline-esque train ticket apps do the cognoscenti of RailUK Forums recommend?

 

[Wallsendmag]

I always use the LNER ap to book you can get PDF or Apple/Google wallet tickets.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I mostly use LNR (WMT)'s. The Trainline white labels are much of a muchness, pick any!

May be worth using LNER's if you travel with them as it has the seat picker.

 

[Joe Paxton]

I mostly use LNR (WMT)'s. The Trainline white labels are much of a muchness, pick any!

May be worth using LNER's if you travel with them as it has the seat picker.

I need to have more of a play around, but my (perhaps half-baked) impression was that the Trainline's own app is a bit slicker than their TOC white label apps.

No need for a seat selector - most if not all journeys they make don't have the option of seat reservations.

 

[Deafdoggie]

I need to have more of a play around, but my (perhaps half-baked) impression was that the Trainline's own app is a bit slicker than their TOC white label apps.

No need for a seat selector - most if not all journeys they make don't have the option of seat reservations.

Indeed, trainline is probably the best and easiest. That's why people are prepared to pay the booking fee. That said, unless purchasing an advance ticket, you might aswell buy on the day of travel.
Although Trainline don't charge a fee for same day bookings, there are also other scenarios they don't, usually if you're a regular booker. So it depends how often your friend books, they may find they stop being charged fees. They also charge less if booking through the app rather than the website and the fee will be less if the ticket price is less. There are also other factors. So don't assume it's one unilateral fee you must pay.
Just be aware that booking through some TOC apps (looking at you Northern) means you can end up with an m-ticket instead of an e-ticket!

 

[janb]

Just be aware that booking through some TOC apps (looking at you Northern) means you can end up with an m-ticket instead of an e-ticket!

Northern have switched to e-tickets now.

 

[Deafdoggie]

Northern have switched to e-tickets now.

Their own website doesn't even know that

 

[ChrisC]

I was very hesitant about beginning to use e-tickets but have found Trainsplit very easy to use and sometimes it can even save me some money.

 

[Deafdoggie]

I was very hesitant about beginning to use e-tickets but have found Trainsplit very easy to use and sometimes it can even save me some money.

But they don't have an app. Nor are they very easy to use and understand if you're not "in the know" & they can charge fees. All of which are what the original poster was after.
Admittedly they don't call them fees, which makes a lot of people on here think they aren't fees. But fees by any other name are still fees. However, as with trainline, many on here feel the fees are worth it. But, I'd say trainline is the easier interface to use, in certain circumstances don't charge fees and have an app. They also do split tickets.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I need to have more of a play around, but my (perhaps half-baked) impression was that the Trainline's own app is a bit slicker than their TOC white label apps.

It is, yes. But the white label ones aren't bad. I find the LNR one perfectly decent (it is near identical to most of the others bar branding).

No need for a seat selector - most if not all journeys they make don't have the option of seat reservations.

That's why I use the LNR one. I'd use LNER's if travelling with them.

But they don't have an app. Nor are they very easy to use and understand if you're not "in the know" & they can charge fees. All of which are what the original poster was after.

There is a Trainsplit app but it's fairly basic. That may for some be a benefit.

 

[Starmill]

But they don't have an app. Nor are they very easy to use and understand if you're not "in the know" & they can charge fees.

They do have an app, and using it is very straightforward... They don't charge a fee unless you've actually achieved a saving either.

In my view the app is one of the simplest to use. A screenshot of the opening screen is attached.

 

[Deafdoggie]

There is a Trainsplit app but it's fairly basic. That may for some be a benefit.

I didn't know that, obviously! Just downloaded it, and personally, think it's far better and easier than their website. Obviously though a lot of people using the website want to input more complex requests, but for straightforward journeys the app looks great. The only downside (and I doubt it affects the OP) is that you can't store railcards on the app like trainline. But if you don't have a railcard that's no issue.
I'd say trainline and trainsplit apps are pretty much equal, if you have a railcard trainline might be slightly better. You'd just need to try both to see which charges the highest fee in any given journey. For example a sameday journey with trainsplit might, but with trainline won't. But booking the day before with trainline might and trainsplit won't if its a through ticket.

 

[Randomer]

Another user of the Trainsplit app here. Easy to use, I don't find paying a small fee only if there is a saving excessive. I've found it to offer better splitting combinations than the Trainline especially with on the day tickets.

Unless it has been added recently I've never been charged a fee for an on the day ticket with no split?

Also allows you to choose whether you want to use split-ticketing or not and has google wallet integration to keep your tickets in order easily.

 

[Deafdoggie]

Unless it has been added recently I've never been charged a fee for an on the day ticket with no split?

Apologies, I should have been clearer. Neither will charge a fee for a same day booking on a through ticket. Trainsplit will if it's split tickets, trainline won't.

Also allows you to choose whether you want to use split-ticketing or not and has google wallet integration to keep your tickets in order easily

I think most apps allow this. Trainline certainly do.

 

[SeanG]

LNER is great. Nice and easy to navigate through and plus you get cashback to use on tickets and "perks" too.
The tickets are delivered as E-tickets to show on your phone (or to print and show) or you can choose ToD

 

[ChrisC]

It’s important when using any of these apps that you check very carefully before buying that you are purchasing the correct ticket. It’s so easy to click on the cheapest fare without realising that it’s actually an advance fare ticket which is limited to a specified train. It didn’t used to be such an issue when advance tickets were really were for journeys a few days even weeks in advance. Now with cheap advance tickets being available for almost immediate travel on some routes, it’s so easy to buy one without realising and get on the wrong train. It’s never happened to me but I’ve witnessed so many people using e-tickets who have had to buy another ticket on the train because they thought they had just purchased an ordinary ticket that can be used on any train.

 

[Deafdoggie]

It’s important when using any of these apps that you check very carefully before buying that you are purchasing the correct ticket. It’s so easy to click on the cheapest fare without realising that it’s actually an advance fare ticket which is limited to a specified train. It didn’t used to be such an issue when advance tickets were really were for journeys a few days even weeks in advance. Now with cheap advance tickets being available for almost immediate travel on some routes, it’s so easy to buy one without realising and get on the wrong train. It’s never happened to me but I’ve witnessed so many people using e-tickets who have had to buy another ticket on the train because they thought they had just purchased an ordinary ticket that can be used on any train.

Trainline make a point of highlighting trains you can use the ticket on. I'd go so far to say that anyone using trainline and saying they didn't know is lieing!

 

[Adam Williams]

It’s so easy to click on the cheapest fare without realising that it’s actually an advance fare ticket which is limited to a specified train.

Although I don't believe Trainline offer such a feature, there are apps that'll let you filter the search results for flexible journeys only - which will remove those Advances.

 

[Agent_Squash]

LNER here. Easy to use, annoying the lack of Apple Pay support but made up with the 5% cash back offer on Airtime Rewards!

 

[Wallsendmag]

LNER here. Easy to use, annoying the lack of Apple Pay support but made up with the 5% cash back offer on Airtime Rewards!

Apple/Google pay is coming early next year

 

[Joe Paxton]

Although I don't believe Trainline offer such a feature, there are apps that'll let you filter the search results for flexible journeys only - which will remove those Advances.

View attachment 119988

I don't think I'd appreciated there was this option in the Trainsplit app, along with the option for 'through tickets' (i.e. the ability to turn off ticket splitting).

The button to get to the option screen (an inverted triangle 'hamburger' menu button, for want of a better description!) only appears on the results screen - it's not available on the 'home' screen.

 

[yorkie]

But they don't have an app. Nor are they very easy to use and understand if you're not "in the know" & they can charge fees. All of which are what the original poster was after.

Trainsplit does not charge booking fees and therefore is not going to be beaten by any TOC website on price.

I'd say trainline and trainsplit apps are pretty much equal, if you have a railcard trainline might be slightly better. You'd just need to try both to see which charges the highest fee in any given journey. For example a sameday journey with trainsplit might, but with trainline won't. But booking the day before with trainline might and trainsplit won't if its a through ticket.

To be clear you are talking about the commission on a share of saving; this only applies if there is a saving. Anyone booking from a TOC direct will be paying more in those cases!

Admittedly they don't call them fees, which makes a lot of people on here think they aren't fees. But fees by any other name are still fees. However, as with trainline, many on here feel the fees are worth it. But, I'd say trainline is the easier interface to use, in certain circumstances don't charge fees and have an app. They also do split tickets.

It is disingenuous to say fees are fees; if a TOC is charging 100 quid and a third party retailer finds a cheaper combination for 50 quid and then takes a share of the saving, bumping it up to (say) 60 quid, you can moan that the third party retailer "charges fees" and the TOC doesn't, but at the end of the day, those who book through TOCs are paying more for such journeys, than those who do pay such "fees".

I don't think I'd appreciated there was this option in the Trainsplit app, along with the option for 'through tickets' (i.e. the ability to turn off ticket splitting).

The button to get to the option screen (an inverted triangle 'hamburger' menu button, for want of a better description!) only appears on the results screen - it's not available on the 'home' screen.

If you have feedback for the Trainsplit app, I am sure they would appreciate it. They did advertise on this forum for app developer recently; a forum member got the job and having met them, I am sure they would value any feedback.

 

[Adam Williams]

The button to get to the option screen (an inverted triangle 'hamburger' menu button, for want of a better description!) only appears on the results screen - it's not available on the 'home' screen.

I've called it the "funnel icon" before!

Filtering in the apps is not massively intuitive today - the functionality is there if you know where to find out, and you can apply it to future searches - but discoverability is awful. It'll get better over time. There's a reasonable amount of work to do on that search flow.

The only downside (and I doubt it affects the OP) is that you can't store railcards on the app like trainline. But if you don't have a railcard that's no issue.

Very much my personal opinion, but it's interesting how some folks do see this as a downside. Ultimately, there's an official RDG app for Railcards, and they've never been designed to be a product that's tied to or somehow associated with a specific retailer.

Of course, I'm sure TTL would love for you to manage your railcard within their app - and of course you can perhaps argue it's more convenient for consumers (out of interest, are you actually impartial here @Deafdoggie? ) this way because they don't have to switch out of their app displaying their eTicket to show their Railcard - but if it's your "go-to" app for viewing your Railcard, it might well start to become your "go-to" app for rail bookings too. All you need are some financial incentives (presumably funded by your investors) to discount the railcard price and attract consumers to begin with, and you effectively have a captive audience.

LNER's implementation seems a bit fairer to me. They still retail railcards, but they're redeemed via the normal Railcard app.

 

[Deafdoggie]

Of course, I'm sure TTL would love for you to manage your railcard within their app - and of course you can perhaps argue it's more convenient for consumers (out of interest, are you actually impartial here @Deafdoggie? ) this way because they don't have to switch out of their app displaying their eTicket to show their Railcard - but if it's your "go-to" app for viewing your Railcard, it might well start to become your "go-to" app for rail bookings too. All you need are some financial incentives (presumably funded by your investors) to discount the railcard price and attract consumers to begin with, and you effectively have a captive audience.

I have my disabled railcard in the railcard app and I hate it. I will revert back to plastic when it expires.
My F&F railcard is in the Trainline app and is great (which is why I made the error of going digital for disabled!) Personally, I find it easier to have tickets and railcards in one app. But equally it has to be a good app! If the railcard app started selling tickets I'd revert to paper tickets!

It is disingenuous to say fees are fees; if a TOC is charging 100 quid and a third party retailer finds a cheaper combination for 50 quid and then takes a share of the saving, bumping it up to (say) 60 quid, you can moan that the third party retailer "charges fees" and the TOC doesn't, but at the end of the day, those who book through TOCs are paying more for such journeys, than those who do pay such "fees".

I should have been clearer, I was comparing Trainline & TrainSplit. It's worth comparing the fees between the two as there are different scenarios when one is cheaper than the other. But many on here are blinded that one is always cheaper than the other.

 

[yorkie]

I should have been clearer, I was comparing Trainline & TrainSplit. It's worth comparing the fees between the two as there are different scenarios when one is cheaper than the other. But many on here are blinded that one is always cheaper than the other.

Trainsplit often finds cheaper splits than Trainline, but sometimes the actual tickets will be the same price, in which case Trainline may win, particularly if the tickets are bought on the day of travel (when Trainline don't charge a booking fee).

Ultimately the only reason why fees need to be charged is because it's an anticompetetive market set up by the TOCs, but that's a whole new topic.

TOCs have messed me about and mistreated me (and others I know) so often, I am very reluctant to do as they want me to do and book "direct" with them.

 

[fandroid]

Hi. There's someone I know who often gets in a right tizzy about buying train tickets. Often I think it's a case of making a mountain out of a molehill, but the world has many people like that!

eTickets have become available on many of the journeys they make, and I think they'd benefit. (Most journeys would be walk-up tickets, not Advances.)

However what they'd need is a simple, easy to use and intuitive app within which they can both buy and display their e-tickets. The Trainline's pretty slick app seems to fit the bill, but for the booking fees which are irksome.

I know booking fees aren't charged by the Trainline for purchases made on the day of travel, but I think this person would probably like to have the option to buy the day before travel.

My own rail ticket purchasing 'strategy' (if it can be called that!) is a bit all over the place and so definitely isn't a model for them to copy! However when I do use eTickets, I don't generally display them in the retailer's app but just have them as PDFs on my phone (or sometimes even as print-outs) - indeed I might not even have the retailers app installed.

So, what Trainline-esque train ticket apps do the cognoscenti of RailUK Forums recommend?

Just a few thoughts on this issue. The Trainsplit app on my phone seems to have recognised that I use a Senior Railcard routinely. I'm not sure how that came about! I really like the Trainsplit app, as well as their website as I find them to be the best in providing comprehensive and clear information about the tickets purchased. I don't begrudge them their share of the split saving, as it has saved me the effort of doing it myself.

Lastly, my only problem with it was that I hadn't discovered the filter for flexible only tickets and reverted to the website when I wanted that option. But this thread has told me there is one with the app, so I'll now have to check that out.

 

[yorkie]

.... don't begrudge them their share of the split saving, as it has saved me the effort of doing it myself...

Indeed and it should generally find the cheapest for any given itinerary. If it isn't, please do let them know so they can look into it (or post it here; feel free to tag me in and I can ensure the relevant people see it; such amendments have been made within 24 hours before)

 

[Benjwri]

I would recommend C2C. Have a good range of options when booking and provide e tickets. They also have a loyalty scheme whereby you get £0.01 to spend on a future ticket for every £1 you spend.

They do also have the benefit that you can buy smartcard tickets on their app for any enabled ticket in the country, and load it via your phone. Particularly useful for travelcards.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I would recommend C2C. Have a good range of options when booking and provide e tickets. They also have a loyalty scheme whereby you get £0.01 to spend on a future ticket for every £1 you spend.

They do also have the benefit that you can buy smartcard tickets on their app for any enabled ticket in the country, and load it via your phone. Particularly useful for travelcards.

I think all the Trainline white label apps can now do that. The LNR one certainly can.

 

[mirodo]

LNER here. Easy to use, annoying the lack of Apple Pay support but made up with the 5% cash back offer on Airtime Rewards!

Plus - for the next 7 days at least - 8% cashback with Virgin Money.