Avanti online booking app (and alternative apps)

[Bletchleyite]

Update - it will give you a seat with choices of window/aisle forward/backwards table etc - before you pay.... but won't show you that seat and offer you the alternative before you pay. I haven't paid so don't know if that option appears afterwards.

The VTWC app didn't have a seat selector, only the website.

 

[Bletchleyite]

That is awful picking a seat is critical for me on this route. For example which side of the train to avoid the sun. Also where I have had seats automatically allocated then the system squashes them into a single carriage until it is full as far as I could see. Time to jump ship if Trainsplit can do this.
First rule of a new system - do not get rid of useful features.

Quite.

However, trainsplit.com will offer you this, so just take the business off Avanti and give it to them.

 

[RealTrains07]

Since apparently rebranding the wifi and entertainment system doesnt count as a rebrand

here is the redone entertainment system

 

[Howardh]

The VTWC app didn't have a seat selector, only the website.

Don't think I ever booked via Virgin's app so wasn't aware!

 

[RealTrains07]

Wifi isnt working, typical! I wonder if this was Virgin way of saying goodbye considering the wifi is still in their name

 

[Howardh]

Wifi isnt working, typical! I wonder if this was Virgin way of saying goodbye considering the wifi is still in their name

It's not been the best of starts!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Since apparently rebranding the wifi and entertainment system doesnt count as a rebrand

here is the redone entertainment system

It looks like "BEAM" on LNR - is it the same company?

 

[Bletchleyite]

It's not been the best of starts!

Quite, lots of things went wrong that really shouldn't have. Hopefully tomorrow will go better.

 

[Wallsendmag]

Are Avanti using a Trainline white label ?

 

[alistairlees]

Are Avanti using a Trainline white label ?

Yep. For now at least.

 

[alistairlees]

Well, after a load of faffing around trying to book Manchester - London for a date in January; I've done a flight out + first class return for just over £70 which is about the same price (with railcard) as two first class returns; the booking experience is easy both on the site and app (now they are running) but one slight issue; the app uses the same booking app as northern yet won't accept my northern log-in details so had to register....so two apps doing exactly the same thing!!

They are different companies. You should be outraged if Northern were to share your information with another company (unless it has your explicit permission). Just because they use the same IT provider is no reason at all to share personal information.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Are Avanti using a Trainline white label ?

If it actually is the Trainline app rather than an older version like VTWC used, it might be worth switching to it for now to avoid fees. I use the actual Trainline app for on the day e-ticket purchase (it has the best UI and doesn't charge fees for same day purchases[1]) but it is a bit annoying not to be able to order for the next day without a fee if I know I'm going somewhere and would like to save the 30 seconds from a morning with an early start.

[1] It also has a more reasonable discretionary refund fee policy than some - the refund fee is stepped so you near-always get something back rather than it being £10 against all tickets.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I've now managed to install it (it is still not listed on the Play Store) and it appears to be the same as the GWR app, which isn't a derivative of the Trainline app but is reasonably good. However it has one major issue if it is the same as the GWR app - if you buy an e-ticket on the app you don't receive it by e-mail, just on the app. It is an e-ticket (no need for activation) but a strange breed of them.

 

[Wallsendmag]

If it actually is the Trainline app rather than an older version like VTWC used, it might be worth switching to it for now to avoid fees. I use the actual Trainline app for on the day e-ticket purchase (it has the best UI and doesn't charge fees for same day purchases[1]) but it is a bit annoying not to be able to order for the next day without a fee if I know I'm going somewhere and would like to save the 30 seconds from a morning with an early start.

[1] It also has a more reasonable discretionary refund fee policy than some - the refund fee is stepped so you near-always get something back rather than it being £10 against all tickets.

VT used Trainline

 

[Bletchleyite]

VT used Trainline

The back-end was Trainline, but the app bore no resemblance whatsoever to the actual Trainline app, and nor does Avanti's - it's the same as the GWR one.

 

[TUC]

Lots of people use Trainline, and other apps, so they don't have to have an account for each operator and just accept that £1.50 isn't much if you are going for a long journey. The National Rail Enquires app is a bit different, it just redirects you to the operator's website.

Apart from focussing on an app that has no booking fees, unless a particular app has any special offers or features, why would anyone want multiple booking apps?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Apart from focussing on an app that has no booking fees, unless a particular app has any special offers or features, why would anyone want multiple booking apps?

Trainline's app to me has the best UI, but I don't pay them any fees, as none are charged for on the day purchase.

For a non-on-the-day purchase, on the rare occasion that I bother, I use a website. Previously VTWC for the seat selector, but now that's been ditched it will be Trainsplit.

 

[CrispyUK]

However it has one major issue if it is the same as the GWR app - if you buy an e-ticket on the app you don't receive it by e-mail, just on the app. It is an e-ticket (no need for activation) but a strange breed of them.

I purchased a ticket using the Avanti app yesterday, e-mail received after purchase with PDF copy of the e-ticket and option to add it to Apple Wallet.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I purchased a ticket using the Avanti app yesterday, e-mail received after purchase with PDF copy of the e-ticket and option to add it to Apple Wallet.

Ooh, good. In that case I'll probably switch to Avanti from the Trainline app, then (with the added bonus of buying the night before without any fees if I want to). I like the GWR app, the only reason I don't use it is that I like having the backup of a PDF in my mailbox in case the app crashes.

Will give it a go on Wednesday, which is likely to be my next rail journey.

 

[MalaiseForever]

It’s a shame the iOS app isn’t scaling properly on newer iPhones. The keyboard is the old version too.

 

[TUC]

Given how much apps and websites are core business these days, it does seem odd that Avanti do not seem to have fully tested their before launching

 

[Bletchleyite]

Used the Avanti app for my journey this morning, and it seems it's based on the LNR one (even though it doesn't look the same) in that it sells e-tickets (and you get the PDF by e-mail) but represents them in the app as m-tickets which require activation to use in the app. However so far as I can see, like the LNR app, it's the same barcode and you can use either the PDF or the pseudo-m-ticket interchangeably.

This approach is utterly bizarre and I don't get why it is being done when Trainline (who are doing it) have the tech in their own app to do e-tickets properly.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It also appears willing to sell me invalid routes as a through ticket, e.g. it will sell me Euston-Bletchley via MKC as a through ticket which is not Permitted (fails the fares rule).

Would love to try that one at the Euston barrier with a bit of spare time and a seat reservation...

 

[MalaiseForever]

It also appears willing to sell me invalid routes as a through ticket, e.g. it will sell me Euston-Bletchley via MKC as a through ticket which is not Permitted (fails the fares rule).

Would love to try that one at the Euston barrier with a bit of spare time and a seat reservation...

Haha! Please do and post your experiences in the Euston barrier thread. Though, I can’t seem to get it to do the same for me. How are you managing it?

 

[Hadders]

It also appears willing to sell me invalid routes as a through ticket, e.g. it will sell me Euston-Bletchley via MKC as a through ticket which is not Permitted (fails the fares rule).

Would love to try that one at the Euston barrier with a bit of spare time and a seat reservation...

Euston - Bletchley used to be valid via Milton Keynes until relatively recently. Perhaps Avanti wish to give passengers more flexibility on the routes they may use

 

[Paul Kelly]

it will sell me Euston-Bletchley via MKC as a through ticket which is not Permitted (fails the fares rule)

On a point of routeing guide pedantry, the fares check is not relevant here; London Group and Bletchley are both routeing points. It is the doubleback from Milton Keynes Central that's the problem.

 

[Bletchleyite]

On a point of routeing guide pedantry, the fares check is not relevant here; London Group and Bletchley are both routeing points. It is the doubleback from Milton Keynes Central that's the problem.

I sit corrected.

Assuming I end up going back that way I'll see if I can actually buy it with a reservation (just to prove it's wrong), though I don't quite have the gall to try to use it at the barrier really, I'd just use it on a direct LNR.

Edit: seems it's been fixed - doesn't take long from posting in here! It does however seem (as I guess they are reading) that you can still do it on some other tickets (i.e. not originating from Euston), so they may want to check further!