GWR changing app/website provider on 24th February

[Bletchleyite]

Just a heads up that GWR have announced that they are changing app/website provider on 24th Feb. Sensibly, unlike XC, Advances from before that once deployed are changed via refund-and-rebook, which is how e.g. Trainsplit does it anyway. However I doubt the new system will do the standalone reservations to start with, so anyone wishing to do this may want to do it in advance of that date. And if you've booked any tickets make sure you've downloaded them or noted the collection code.

Edit: I believe the new system is SilverRail which apparently XC now uses.

We’re making changes to how you book tickets online on GWR.com and the GWR app from 22:00 on Monday 23 February 2026.

After the update, you will need to:

• reset your password, and
• update the GWR app

You do not need to reset your password or update the GWR app until after the update on Tuesday 24 February.

This page explains what you need to do and provides information about existing bookings, refunds, and changes.

Travelling soon?​

If you’ve purchased a ticket and are travelling on or after 24 February, you will need to:

• save your booking confirmation email; or
• download and save the PDF version of your eTicket included in your booking confirmation or My Account; or
• add tickets from the GWR app wallet to your Apple or Google wallet.

If you booked tickets using a Smartcard or postal delivery, your booking will continue to be processed as normal.

Reference numbers for tickets for collection from ticket machines will not be available in the GWR app. You will be able to access these through a link to your previous bookings, in email confirmations, and in My Account.

When is the update happening?​

The update is planned for overnight on Monday 23 February, to minimise disruption.

• There may be short periods when online booking or account access is unavailable on the night of Monday 23 February and into the early hours of Tuesday 24 February
• If this happens, you’ll see alerts on our website letting you know

What you need to do from Tuesday 24 February​

Once we have updated the website and app, you will need to:

1. Reset your password (required)​

You’ll need to reset your password the first time you sign in after the update.

How to reset your password​

1. Go to the sign-in page and select ‘Forgotten password’
2. Enter your registered email address and submit
3. Use the password reset link we send by email to create a new password

Remember to check your spam or junk folder if you don’t receive the email.

You do not need to reset your password until after the update on Tuesday 24 February.

2. Update the GWR app (required for app bookings)​

To continue buying tickets and managing bookings in the GWR app after the update, you’ll need to install the latest version of the app.

• Update the app on the App Store or Google Play
• If the app won’t open or won’t let you buy tickets after the change, reinstall the app

You do not need to update the GWR app until after the planned update on Tuesday 24 February.

What’s changing​

We’re updating the systems and technology for booking tickets on our website and app. This is the first stage of an ongoing update, with new functionality and development planned over the coming weeks.

What you need to know​

• Your GWR account will still work, but you’ll need to reset your password and update the app
• Some features may be temporarily unavailable or in a different place immediately after the change
• You can still buy tickets and travel as normal – if something isn’t available online, we’ll point you to the best alternative

GWR app and website update | What you need to do | Great Western Railway

We’re updating our online booking system overnight on 23 February. You will need to reset your password and update the GWR app. Find help with existing bookings, refunds, changes, and your account.

www.gwr.com

 

[Adam Williams]

Bit lazy not to even try and import the password hashes / previous journeys & tix.

 

[ADIRU]

Hopefully the updated app will no longer dump the previously inputted railcards if going 'back' from the timetable and cost options.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Bit lazy not to even try and import the password hashes / previous journeys & tix.

Good not to import password hashes. Forcing people to reset them periodically is no bad thing, half of them have probably been breached anyway.

With regard to previous stuff running both in parallel for whatever the booking horizon is (but not allowing new purchases on the old one) would do it fine. I'd agree what they are doing does risk problems.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Forcing people to reset them periodically is no bad thing, half of them have probably been breached anyway.

They will just reset them to the same thing. If GWR still offer free reservations then I probably will, otherwise I won't bother (I only ever use GWR for that).

 

[Bletchleyite]

They will just reset them to the same thing. If GWR still offer free reservations then I probably will, otherwise I won't bother (I only ever use GWR for that).

Some will, some won't.

 

[Adam Williams]

Good not to import password hashes. Forcing people to reset them periodically is no bad thing, half of them have probably been breached anyway.

Nonsense; and it's easy enough to check/periodically re-check against e.g. haveibeenpwned for breach scores (which is exactly what e.g. Realtime Trains' auth system does) if that's a concern.

NCSC are clear that forcing password expiry is now a Bad Thing.

 

[Sleepy]

So will GWR mixing desk version be closed down at the same time ?? I find Sleeper booking so much easier on this than GWR.com

 

[MrJeeves]

So will GWR mixing desk version be closed down at the same time ?

Yes.

Worldline, who supply the TIS including the Mixing Desk UI, is exiting the consumer-facing retail market as I understand it.

 

[Egg Centric]

Bit lazy not to even try and import the password hashes / previous journeys & tix.

There is a possible "legit" explanation for the first bit of that but I won't expand on it for reasons that would be obvious if you think of it

Anyway back on topic does this affect GWR's seat reservation on any (reservable) service maker?

 

[mickey]

Yes.

Worldline, who supply the TIS including the Mixing Desk UI, is exiting the consumer-facing retail market as I understand it.

Massive shame, it’s the most useful thing about their website. If anyone can recommend an alternative site that allows a similar ‘click here for all/slower ticket options’ function, I’d be very grateful.

(For clarity, what I want is the ability to select by choosing a particular ticket endorsement to allow the site to sell me a potentially slower but cheaper option that can’t always be forced with a ‘via’ point or similar.)

 

[CyrusWuff]

Massive shame, it’s the most useful thing about their website. If anyone can recommend an alternative site that allows a similar ‘click here for all/slower ticket options’ function, I’d be very grateful.

RedSpottedHanky (Worldline's own site) is still around for now.

They also provide the online booking system for Rail Staff Travel, though presumably that will migrate to GBR Online when it's launched.

 

[sot]

I wonder if the booking of reservation coupons will stop also and if there is an alternative site to do so.

 

[Bletchleyite]

(For clarity, what I want is the ability to select by choosing a particular ticket endorsement to allow the site to sell me a potentially slower but cheaper option that can’t always be forced with a ‘via’ point or similar.)

Trainsplit will usually come up with these with a bit of nudging (and sometimes without). You can then change which ticket you want if you don't want the split it offers (or indeed any split at all) - for any given selected itinerary (single) or pair of itineraries (return) it offers the best value Advance and flexible split plus all valid through fares, and it doesn't just show the fastest itinerary but also a load of cheaper ones (arguably to the point it sometimes shows too many where you can save about 75p by adding three hours and four extra changes to your trip*). It's not the same, but I've not felt the need to use a Mixing Deck site for the purposes you mention for some time now.

* Exaggerating for comedy effect, but it does sometimes show options that nobody in their right mind would select given the tiny saving they offer. The upside of that is that if a given itinerary is cheaper it probably will show it, particularly if you select intensive mode.

 

[Tom]

We've got a Mixing Deck like interface on Realtime Tickets under the 'Detailed' mode and we'll be releasing an update next week which will allow you to default to that view next week.

We mostly built it because we knew this day was coming and thought we could do a little bit better...

 

[Bletchleyite]

Ooh, that looks very interesting indeed! Might have to give it a go. Though I am still drawn to Trainsplit/the Forum site by its unique selling point of the all-TOCs seat selector.

 

[sot]

Is it possible to make it pull a full day rather than just the window? The GWR allowed you to see the cheapest (cached?) fare that day.

 

[TravellingTyke]

This article suggests that if you have e-tickets or collection refs in the existing system that you haven't got saved anywhere else (e.g. on an email or in a wallet) then you'll need to take some action (write them down, store somewhere else or put into a wallet) or they will be lost on migration: https://www.headforpoints.com/2026/02/21/new-gwr-app/

I appreciate this is alluded to above but this could cause significant problems for people if they don't realise. It's not unreasonable to expect to be able to find your tickets where you bought them!

 

[bakerstreet]

We've got a Mixing Deck like interface on Realtime Tickets under the 'Detailed' mode and we'll be releasing an update next week which will allow you to default to that view next week.

We mostly built it because we knew this day was coming and thought we could do a little bit better...

Is it possible to filter a journey with via / avoid points etc?

 

[td97]

I believe the new system is SilverRail which apparently XC now uses

Oh dear. The XC migration was a disaster, and the app and website remain dismal/borderline unusable. The Android app has a review score of 1.5/5.

CrossCountry - Apps on Google Play

Find cheap train tickets

play.google.com

 

[CyrusWuff]

Oh dear. The XC migration was a disaster, and the app and website remain dismal/borderline unusable. The Android app has a review score of 1.5/5.

CrossCountry - Apps on Google Play

Find cheap train tickets

play.google.com

Presumably the GWR version will have a different front-end developer, given they're not an Arriva TOC.

 

[alistairlees]

Well @Bletchleyite is not quite right. CrossCountry is the Arriva Customer Engine (ACE), which uses Silverrail as the journey planner. GWR will be fully supplied by SilverRail, ie both the journey planner and the TIS are SilverRail.

 

[vicbury]

If wonder if the new app will have the capability to not sign you out at random, usually when you are trying to buy a ticket whilst dashing to the platform at silly o'clock in the morning. That would be nice.

 

[Wallsendmag]

Well @Bletchleyite is not quite right. CrossCountry is the Arrivea Customer Engine, which uses Silverrail as the journey planner. GWR will be fully supplied by SilverRail, ie both the journey planner and the TIS are SilverRail.

Lots of business going their way the new LNER TVMs will be driven by a SilverRail back end

 

[dmncf]

TfW website and app are also SilverRail.

 

[OscarH]

Lots of business going their way the new LNER TVMs will be driven by a SilverRail back end

Thought the industry was supposed to be reducing costs, not increasing them

 

[DelW]

Oh dear. The XC migration was a disaster, and the app and website remain dismal/borderline unusable.

How appropriate, matches their train services then.

 

[Belperpete]

So will there be any sites left after this which will sell you a ticket for which an itinerary isn't available? Such as can happen when details of RRBs haven't been entered.

 

[Jamiescott1]

Not sure if related (as a day early).
Today the weekly season ticket i purchased over the weekend to commence today would not load onto the smart card at my selected station.
I went into the ticket office at paddington and there was others having the same issue.
(Paddington ticket office could not help)

 

[CyrusWuff]

Not sure if related (as a day early).
Today the weekly season ticket i purchased over the weekend to commence today would not load onto the smart card at my selected station.
I went into the ticket office at paddington and there was others having the same issue.
(Paddington ticket office could not help)

It's unrelated, as I saw people having issues loading tickets at my local (non-GWR) station on my way to work this morning as well.