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New Virgin East Coast Website

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csilke

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Virgin have an 'improved booking experience' for us - https://beta.virgintrainseastcoast.com/travel-information/looking-good-booking-smooth/
First up, create a new account to reap all the benefits of our swanky new system. Check train times, choose your seats and find bonzer fares – whenever you like. We’re rolling out the red carpet on all devices, so whether you’re on a work tablet or your games console, buying a ticket will feel just as fabulous.


We’ll always show you the cheapest tickets first and if you end up choosing a more expensive combination than you might need, we’ll tell you! We’ve also got some extra tricks landing in a few weeks. So, keep your eyes peeled for more ways to get the best deal.
 
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Romilly

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Is this genuine, or a trap? I can't see anything about this on the VTEC website.
 

Romilly

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It isn't, but it's their new site, and I've now found the link to it on their existing site.

The booking system no longer looks like the traditional mixing desk and, on the seat selector, seats 75 and 76 in the standard coaches on the electric trains are wrongly labelled (although if you select aisle seat 75 the booking details then correctly show that you actually have a window seat).

And the "Timetables only" option on the new booking site appears to have lost the ability to specify a "Calls at" station: one of the useful advantages of the existing VTEC site is the ability to specify both a "via" point and a "calls at" point.
 
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Joe Paxton

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It ditches the comprehensive WebTIS 'mixing deck' for a simplified grid based on trains/ journeys.

Like others I really rate the WebTIS 'mixing deck', but I'm not under any illusion that many people find it rather complicated and confusing, on first glance at least - I remember when it first made its appearance (with NXEC), I was a bit sceptical, not least as it was so different from the Trainline matrix I was so used to, but then I quickly came round to how useful, powerful and informative the 'mixing deck' display actually was.

GWR use the WebTIS engine, but have two interfaces - a simplified interface at [url]www.gwr.com/tickets/[/URL] which is where you are sent by default, and then the 'mixing deck' at tickets.gwr.com.

(Apart from knowing the latter URL, I'm not sure what other routes there are to get there?)

Hopefully VTEC will retain access to the 'mixing deck' for those who prefer it.
 
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Hadders

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I prefer the traditional Webtis mixing deck.

A few comments:

- I like that it gives better details of the ticket terms and conditions for flexible tickets. It gives the restriction code although doesn't actually give the exact detail.
- It refers to the NRCoC not the NRCoT!
- Good detail on break of journey, even stating that you can continue your journey on day 2 if you can't complete it on day 1!
- You have to scroll to see all of the fares making it difficult to see them all. The original mixing deck is far better for showing all the available fares.
 

Paul Kelly

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Looks like a smartened up Trainline interface to me. People have been predicting for a long time that Stagecoach would eventually harmonise both West & East Coast to use the Trainline as their booking engine (i.e. get rid of Atos WebTIS for East Coast); seems that it's finally happening...
 

Joe Paxton

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Looks like a smartened up Trainline interface to me. People have been predicting for a long time that Stagecoach would eventually harmonise both West & East Coast to use the Trainline as their booking engine (i.e. get rid of Atos WebTIS for East Coast); seems that it's finally happening...

I don't think it is the Trainline that's underneath it all powering the new VTEC site.

I'm not sure it's WebTIS either, given that existing customers need to re-register.

A brand new system perhaps? (The Govia TOCs went in that direction after all.)
 

Paul Kelly

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I think you may be right. There's a few too many differences from Trainline. My next best guess is the same system as the SWT website, which would also make sense as they're both Stagecoach. It also shows the restriction code when you click on the ticket type for a more detailed view. Although the new VTEC site is a *lot* easier to use than the SWT site.
 

Wallsendmag

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Looks like a smartened up Trainline interface to me. People have been predicting for a long time that Stagecoach would eventually harmonise both West & East Coast to use the Trainline as their booking engine (i.e. get rid of Atos WebTIS for East Coast); seems that it's finally happening...
Definately not Trainline ;)
 

Wallsendmag

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I think you may be right. There's a few too many differences from Trainline. My next best guess is the same system as the SWT website, which would also make sense as they're both Stagecoach. It also shows the restriction code when you click on the ticket type for a more detailed view. Although the new VTEC site is a *lot* easier to use than the SWT site.

;) Close but not quite.
 

yorkie

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I wonder who is behind it then.

Edinburgh Gateway is missing, by the way.
 

yorkie

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That was quick! :)

Looks like it probably isn't using Atos WebTIS, as it's not allowing certain routeings that other Atos WebTIS sites allow, though I didn't find many differences.
 

OwlMan

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Vix Technology ?

see attached document for the list of TIS (including internet & apps) as at 13 July
 

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  • WebTIS_Apps_Accreditation_Status_01-00.pdf
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westv

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Where's the seat selector map? It's mentioned but nothing shows on my tablet.
 

Silver Cobra

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The new interface seems to be very similar to that used on the VTEC TVMs. There are a few minor differences, but the overall layout is pretty much the same.

I'm guessing VTEC wants to unify the website and TVM interfaces to make the user experience the same, whether buying tickets online or from a machine.
 

Kite159

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If it is like the TVM at Leeds (at which I attempted to purchase a standard day return from yesterday) then good luck to anybody attempting to use it. (I gave up after a couple minutes and purchased my ticket from the Northern TVM within a few seconds, no flapping around with selecting services).
 

Tetchytyke

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The TVMs are terrible too. I had to do an out-and-straight-back to Carlisle and the machine couldn't get its head around it.
 

yorkie

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The old seat selector often fails to load when obtaining a cycle reservation.

What we need is a reliable seat selector that consistently works.

It would also be good if they can get it to work if you have the last ticket at a particular price point (tier) for an Advance.

Also even if it's not possible to change seats, it's still useful to show where the seat is.
 

sheff1

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If it is like the TVM at Leeds (at which I attempted to purchase a standard day return from yesterday) then good luck to anybody attempting to use it. (I gave up after a couple minutes and purchased my ticket from the Northern TVM within a few seconds, no flapping around with selecting services).

Exactly. When I first saw the new TVMs they seemed OK - ability to purchase Advances etc - but when I came to actually use one to purchase a walk up ticket it was a nightmare. After much pressing of options which were totally unnecessary I, too, gave up and moved to a Scotrail TVM where I purchased the ticket in seconds.
 
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