GWR changing app/website provider on 24th February

[GreenIcing]

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.

An Itso-related issue then?

Regardless of the cause, the Monday after school half term is not really the ideal day for it to happen. The clerk at my local ticket office this morning said I must have been the 11th person to ask about it today!

 

[Haywain]

the Monday after school half term is not really the ideal day for it to happen.

Well, it’s unlikely that it was planned.

 

[GreenIcing]

Well, it’s unlikely that it was planned.

Of course, sorry I didn't mean to suggest that it was! Just an unfortunate time for the IT to go tits-up.

 

[ADIRU]

I'm trying to book One Day Travelcards that require a paper ticket for journeys in the London Zones but the new website and App have decided that there is not a ticket machine at our local station (Mortimer) Unless it has been removed since last week, I don't understand why I'm getting this message. I guess that I can still nominate somewhere else and pick them up from the non-existent' machine...

 

[angled]

Is anybody else struggling to stay logged in to the website and app following the update? It feels like every time I open the (new/updated) app I've been logged out. I asked the GWR support team via WhatsApp and they claimed I'm the only person who's raised it as an issue.

 

[father_jack]

Is anybody else struggling to stay logged in to the website and app following the update? It feels like every time I open the (new/updated) app I've been logged out. I asked the GWR support team via WhatsApp and they claimed I'm the only person who's raised it as an issue.

Multiple issues like yours are being reported.

 

[Jamiescott1]

Not logged in but it never shows my previous station search history on the live train times tab as it did prior to the update, meaning I have to search for the station again

 

[jef42]

The new TIS issues anytime day returns on smartcards as being valid from the moment you purchase them (even if in advance) until 24 hours after the usual 04:30 expiry due to not following the RDG ITSO spec properly. They seem to effectively be issued as a two-use carnet that could show as valid on inspection for however many months you can buy tickets in advance for. I wonder whether it will be GWR or particularly enterprising fare dodgers who catch on to the new 'tap when challenged' tickets first.

 

[mikeg]

Does this affect all FirstGroup TOCs? Had an email that went to spam from Hull Trains and they too are changing supplier, presumably to the same one and definitely from the same old one.

 

[Haywain]

The new TIS issues anytime day returns on smartcards as being valid from the moment you purchase them (even if in advance) until 24 hours after the usual 04:30 expiry due to not following the RDG ITSO spec properly. They seem to effectively be issued as a two-use carnet that could show as valid on inspection for however many months you can buy tickets in advance for. I wonder whether it will be GWR or particularly enterprising fare dodgers who catch on to the new 'tap when challenged' tickets first.

A "two-use carnet"? So, one trip in each direction, just possible not to take them on the same day? I'm not sure that a fare dodger catching on to that could be regarded as "particularly enterprising" as they won't be saving much.

 

[MrJeeves]

Seemingly you can't edit a search from the results screen, which is handy. Wonder if this is to keep their RARS usage low to avoid overage charges.



Oh nice, and I can't check out either.

 

[WelshBluebird]

Seemingly you can't edit a search from the results screen, which is handy. Wonder if this is to keep their RARS usage low to avoid overage charges.

As a software developer who has been involved in the rebuild of a transport booking platform (non rail), this is likely just down to deadlines. They would have had a date to meet likely driven by when the old contract expired and so the options would have been to limit scope to be able to hit the deadline, or to move the deadline and likely have to extend an expensive contract.

In the grand scheme of things change search stuff is just a nice to have and those are the first things cut given you can just search again normally.

The issue with anytime day returns mentioned above is definitely not defencable though - basic core functionality has to work!
 

Oh nice, and I can't check out either.

Does checking the T&C's box or refreshing do anything?

 

[MrJeeves]

Does checking the T&C's box or refreshing do anything?

Nah, there's just multiple errors being thrown in the Javascript every second. Forever.

The data has been loaded from the backend, but it never displays.

 

[jef42]

A "two-use carnet"? So, one trip in each direction, just possible not to take them on the same day? I'm not sure that a fare dodger catching on to that could be regarded as "particularly enterprising" as they won't be saving much.

Smart tickets are generally only validated and marked used on the card when tapping in or out, and as far as I understand there is no obligation to tap in or out where there is already a valid ticket on the card, with the exception of PAYG and the like which have specific terms. For unbarriered journeys, or for those willing to jump barriers or doughnut, it may well let them avoid a penalty fare/MG11 resulting from an on-train inspection due to having a ticket that, on the face of it and for at least the first time it is inspected, appears valid. Season that will only work barriers twice is perhaps a more accurate description of what it looks like than two-use carnet.

Even discounting fraud, it means the passenger cannot see the "real" valid date of a smart ticket on a machine or the NRE app and is confusing. I imagine it will be fixed in fairly short order anyway. If not, the back office can probably catch these sorts of things if they're done habitually with the same card or ticket.

 

[Mikey C]

Odd timing to make such changes, when GWR will be nationalised this year. Logically won't there eventually be a GBR website and App?

 

[CyrusWuff]

Odd timing to make such changes, when GWR will be nationalised this year. Logically won't there eventually be a GBR website and App?

Presumably the Worldline contract was up for renewal, so First either had to go out to tender for a new supplier (or an extension with Worldline if that was an option) or have no online sales until GBR Online launches.

 

[redreni]

Has anybody managed to get the new site to return any journey planner results when you say you have a Network Railcard? I get nothing with the Railcard selected. Works fine (including fulfilling a Day Travelcard to Smartcard, which is why I use GWR to buy this ticket) without the Railcard.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Yes, I bought a ticket using a Network Railcard this morning on it, for a journey on Chiltern on Sunday. I did use the app though. Just fancied giving it a go, the only annoyance I found was that when you pick a date and time it doesn't automatically go back to the search, you have to press a button in a non intuitive place. Other observation was that it shows multiple Advance options for one selected train in some cases, it seems it only groups when the route descriptor is the same.

It's not the worst I've seen. Not dissimilar to LNER's site/app.

Edit: is this a minimum fare issue, in that instead of pricing the fares at £13 it's just not showing them at all?

 

[317362]

Anyone with a GWR Touch issue which apparently isn't website related,this needs a ticket office visit, there is a well worn instruction sheet for staff to get your ticket loaded again. Takes about 10 minutes though.

 

[fandroid]

I fell foul today of the need to hit the "forgotten password" button on the GWR app. It all fell apart because my phone then regarded the site as unsafe and wouldn't let me override the barrier.

I suspect that's the end of using GWR for me. I only used it anyway so that I could keep a separate looking Smartcard for ticket loading as opposed to PAYG. It'll be 2 SWR Touch cards with felt-tip pen labels from here on!

 

[redreni]

Has anybody managed to get the new site to return any journey planner results when you say you have a Network Railcard? I get nothing with the Railcard selected. Works fine (including fulfilling a Day Travelcard to Smartcard, which is why I use GWR to buy this ticket) without the Railcard.

View attachment 199101

This bug seems to have been fixed overnight.

 

[citybus2500]

An issue I encountered today was that we seem to have lost the "add another ticket" button and thus the ability to book several single tickets, then purchase as a single transaction at the end.

Is this right, or have I missed something?

 

[WelshBluebird]

An issue I encountered today was that we seem to have lost the "add another ticket" button and thus the ability to book several single tickets, then purchase as a sinle transaction at the end.

Is this right, or have I missed something?

Would make one of the GWR reward changes make sense (its moved from just getting points on your first purchase each day to getting points on all purchases for a day).

 

[Kite159]

An issue I encountered today was that we seem to have lost the "add another ticket" button and thus the ability to book several single tickets, then purchase as a sinle transaction at the end.

Is this right, or have I missed something?

So it's gone down the route of LNER which lacks the shopping basket feature.

 

[superkopite]

So it's gone down the route of LNER which lacks the shopping basket feature.

Which makes split tickets a lot more bothersome

 

[furlong]

An issue I encountered today was that we seem to have lost the "add another ticket" button and thus the ability to book several single tickets, then purchase as a single transaction at the end.

This was mentioned in the original publicity as a feature they intended to bring back as soon as they could. The changes to rewards were (incorrectly) announced as having already happened in 2024!

Updates to GWR Rewards terms and conditions from Tuesday (sic) 24 February 2024

 

[Bletchleyite]

Note that the new site (not app) does still provide the cycle/seat reservation feature independent of ticket held. It's there under My Account.

 

[Martym8]

Grateful for some advice here.

I had a couple of tickets booked before the changeover to the new app on 24 February.

I was dealing with a relative in hospital at the time so didn't fully read their emails - logically I just saw emails about a new app and assumed that any competent company would transfer over existing bookings.

Luckily I still have the original emails with the attached pdfs for two journeys.

But for the other it was an app/e-ticket only for later this month - no pdfs were sent in the original booking email. So I have a reservation confirmation (with times and dates) but no ticket with a barcode or a version I can download to a smartphone wallet. The web version similarly does not show a downloadable pdf.

So what am I supposed to do exactly - I have paid for a ticket I cannot use as I have no barcoded ticket.

I am sure I am not the only person in this situation? Will my confirmation email suffice - if not will they refund me?

I just find it is incredible that a company can do this - take your money, change their app and make your tickets disappear?

 

[Belperpete]

Grateful for some advice here.

But for the other it was an app/e-ticket only for later this month - no pdfs were sent in the original booking email. So I have a reservation confirmation (with times and dates) but no ticket with a barcode or a version I can download to a smartphone wallet. The web version similarly does not show a downloadable pdf.

So what am I supposed to do exactly - I have paid for a ticket I cannot use as I have no barcoded ticket.

Have you tried following the instructions on the GWR web-site: (as linked in an earlier post)

After the update, eTickets purchased before the update will not be visible, but you can still use them to travel.

If you no longer have access to your ticket and haven’t completed any of the steps above, please visit a station ticket office or contact our Customer Support team. If you need to visit a ticket office, please allow extra time on the day of travel.

 

[cholsey-choose]

Is anybody else struggling to stay logged in to the website and app following the update? It feels like every time I open the (new/updated) app I've been logged out. I asked the GWR support team via WhatsApp and they claimed I'm the only person who's raised it as an issue.

I actually clicked on this thread because it has been happening to me! Really not a fan of the new app, it seems to need far too many taps to do simple things like change start/end stations and times.