ScotRail - New app / website booking engine from 30 July 2026

[teaspoon]

For flexi tickets, I presume I have no option but to download the new (cr)app?

if you really want to avoid their app, you can load them onto a smartcard at a ticket office or machine. I believe it doesn't need to be a ScotRail smartcard - should also work with most ITSO cards issued in Scotland.

[edited to quote correct post]

 

[MadCommuter]

Thanks for the replies. I'll look at a smart card or just have to suffer the new app

 

[Wallsendmag]

if you *really* want to avoid their app, you can load them onto a smartcard at a ticket office or machine. I believe it doesn't need to be a ScotRail smartcard - should also work with most ITSO cards issued in Scotland.

[edited to quote correct post]

You can't load them to LNER cards so I'd stick to a ScotRail card if possible.

 

[Haywain]

should also work with most ITSO cards issued in Scotland.

That may not be the case in Scotland.

 

[teaspoon]

no? I was under the impression that most Scottish public transport operators supported ITSO cards issued by other Scottish public transport operators, and the NEC. There used to be a (goverment?) website dedicated to this at smarttravel.scot, but it appears they've given up on the idea and it's no longer online.

 

[Haywain]

no? I was under the impression that most Scottish public transport operators supported ITSO cards issued by other Scottish public transport operators, and the NEC. There used to be a (goverment?) website dedicated to this at smarttravel.scot, but it appears they've given up on the idea and it's no longer online.

I took your comment to mean other TOC smartcards. I feel sure that “issued in Scotland” wasn’t there when I was replying.

 

[EarthlikeCloud]

For flexi tickets, I presume I have no option but to download the new (cr)app?

The old ScotRail app is still letting me buy tickets despite the website says - don't know for how long. Not sure what happens if you don't have it already or have already reset your password, though.

no? I was under the impression that most Scottish public transport operators supported ITSO cards issued by other Scottish public transport operators, and the NEC. There used to be a (goverment?) website dedicated to this at smarttravel.scot, but it appears they've given up on the idea and it's no longer online.

SPT (Glasgow Subway) smart cards have so far worked for me on ScotRail, and vice versa. Could be useful since I don't think you can get a ScotRail smart card at the moment.

 

[kkong]

Posting this here for posterity, as I expect it will eventually disappear from the source website.

Here are the headline requirements for ScotRail's new app and website:

ScotRail Trains require a technology partner with proven expertise and innovative vision to develop and implement a user-centric website, app, and Smart Kiosks, powered by a single centralised TIS (Ticket Issuing System) that sets the benchmark for UK rail ticketing, this will require procuring a state-of-the-art multi-channel e-commerce solution that redefines convenience, accessibility, and value for our passengers.

I'd like to see ScotRail's initial results, judged against their success criteria.

 

[tumbledown]

redefines convenience, accessibility, and value for our passengers

Clearly they have redefined those things.

 

[MadCommuter]

A pop up now prevents buying new tickets in the old app. The only two available options are to download the new app or to see existing tickets in the old app.

 

[kkong]

A pop up now prevents buying new tickets in the old app. The only two available options are to download the new app or to see existing tickets in the old app.

Yes, Trainline must be chuckling to themselves about how this is playing out.

 

[Durradan]

A pop up now prevents buying new tickets in the old app. The only two available options are to download the new app or to see existing tickets in the old app.

The best bit is this also pops up when you try and display an active ticket. It doesnt block the Aztec code (at least on my season ticket) but leaves it dimmed so it doesn't scan very well.

 

[kkong]

The best bit is this also pops up when you try and display an active ticket. It doesnt block the QR code (at least on my season ticket) but leaves it dimmed so it doesn't scan very well.

I have seen examples of passengers whose tickets are blocked by the pop-up message, e.g. see the image below.




== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Aug 2026 ==

From the ScotRail FAQ "Train Tickets Explained".

What can't I buy on railui-web-scotrail.prod.srt.global?

Railcards,
Sleeper cabins (we sell seated sleepers),
Tickets in exchange for warrants,
Tickets including admission,
Privilege tickets for railway staff,
Rail station car parking,
Cycle storage at stations.

In reality, the list of items which can't be bought is somewhat longer (e.g. some normal tickets).

The website mentioned is indeed active and seems to be the production endpoint for https://buy.scotrail.co.uk

 

[alistairlees]

I have seen examples of passengers whose tickets are blocked by the pop-up message, e.g. see the image below.


View attachment 208848

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Aug 2026 ==

From the ScotRail FAQ "Train Tickets Explained".



In reality, the list of items which can't be bought is somewhat longer (e.g. some normal tickets).

The website mentioned is indeed active and seems to be the production endpoint for https://buy.scotrail.co.uk
View attachment 208850

What normal tickets can't be bought?

 

[kkong]

Some of the replies on the ScotRail X / Twitter account are amusing, to be fair.

https://x.com/ScotRail/status/2084249086073434144



== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Aug 2026 ==

What normal tickets can't be bought?

Many, many reports of people being charged for 2 x singles when they actually tried to buy a return.

We have things like the example below from Anniesland to Edinburgh, where the same journey is being offered at two completely different prices, for no clear reason.

Why are fares of £39.40 being shown when an Anytime Day Return (route Any Permitted) is £19.90?

Edit:
The £39.40 fare is calculated thus. In which universe does this make any sense to show to a customer?

• £3.10 SDS (ANL-GLQ)
• £16.60 CDS (GLQ-EDB)
• £16.60 CDS (EDB-GLQ)
• £3.10 SDS (GLQ-ANL)

Edit:
Search for a return:
Outbound: Today, 15:30
Return: Today, 17:00

Result:
Only one outbound journey shown, price £39.40. Why no later journeys shown?



Search for a return:
Outbound: Today, 15:30
Return: Today, 18:00

Result:
Multiple journeys shown, all priced £19.90 including the same journey that was returned as £39.40 in the previous search.

Make it make sense.

 

[teaspoon]

So here's an interesting one - if you try to book an itinerary involving certain train companies (I've managed to make it appear with Avanti, LNER, TPE, CrossCountry and GWR) it'll show you a seat picker, to allow you to reserve individual seats. However with (reservable) ScotRail trains, you just get the usual forward/back/table/window options, and get what you're given.

It's obviously not enough to make me want to use it, especially given the forum's site will let you select a seat on pretty much any reservable service.

 

[Adam Williams]

From the ScotRail FAQ "Train Tickets Explained".

Hmm, some of that wording and the ordering of that list sure does sound really familiar....



How very odd...

I'm sure I must be imagining it though, right?

 

[teaspoon]

Can't be the same. Their list has commas!

 

[kkong]

On a multi-leg itinerary using split tickets, it shows the departure time of the first leg against each leg.

There is no 14:11 from Haymarket to Aberdeen.



Rather misleading.

This is for an itinerary from Uphall to Aberdeen:

• Uphall 14:11 - 14:26 Haymarket
• Haymarket 14:38 - 17:06 Aberdeen

But it's one of the more minor issues in the overall disaster that this rollout has been.

Radio silence from ScotRail senior management since the video from the COO (the former Communications Director, no less) on Thursday lunchtime stating that the initial "glitches" had been resolved.

 

[Goldfish62]

On a multi-leg itinerary using split tickets, it shows the departure time of the first leg against each leg.

There is no 14:11 from Haymarket to Aberdeen.

View attachment 208858

Rather misleading.

This is for an itinerary from Uphall to Aberdeen:

• Uphall 14:11 - 14:26 Haymarket
• Haymarket 14:38 - 17:06 Aberdeen

But it's one of the more minor issues in the overall disaster that this rollout has been.

Radio silence from ScotRail senior management since the video from the COO (the former Communications Director, no less) on Thursday lunchtime stating that the initial "glitches" had been resolved.

It's also interesting that you've been offered a split ticket - a function which no longer works for me with the new app.

 

[kkong]

It's also interesting that you've been offered a split ticket - a function which no longer works for me with the new app.

This example was using the website.

However this journey and fare is also available on the Android app (for me, at least).

 

[sannox]

It's also interesting that you've been offered a split ticket - a function which no longer works for me with the new app.

Only works against Singles from what I see

 

[superkopite]

Only works against Singles from what I see

Their Twitter team have said there is a bug and splits are not currently returned for return journeys

 

[kkong]

Their Twitter team have said there is a bug and splits are not currently returned for return journeys

I don't think that's right.

Case in point, the nonsense pricing of £39.40 from Anniesland to Edinburgh in post #135 involves splits on both outward and return legs.

 

[Goldfish62]

Their Twitter team have said there is a bug and splits are not currently returned for return journeys

Clearly not something that the COO would consider to be a glitch as he said they'd all been resolved...

 

[superkopite]

This is the tweet that I saw.

The sass in some of their Twitter team's replies is quite staggering considering all the issues

 

[kkong]

The sass in some of their Twitter team's replies is quite staggering considering all the issues

But there are no issues, according to the senior management.

The Chief Operating Office said on Thursday lunchtime that all the glitches (i.e. transient issues) had been resolved.

The COO didn't acknowledge any "bugs" (i.e. ongoing, reproducible issues), so there mustn't be any.

The ScotRail PR team and Senior Management have clearly gone into lockdown mode and won't admit to the shambolic situation.

Most likely because doing so would expose the managerial failings that have brought us to where we've been for the last 6 days.

It's really an awful look.

I'd expect ScotRail senior management to be invited to a Holyrood committee meeting for an explanation.

Hopefully a few more FoI requests will be submitted to them too, seeking to understand why the changeover has been so chaotic.

The Android app is currently rated 1.1/5 on the Play Store. I'm not sure if it can go any lower than 1.1... does it round down to 1.0 if there are sufficient 1-star reviews?

Edit: Yes, it does. Now rated 1.0.

A lower rating that "One Star App: Lowest Rated App" which sits at a lofty 1.2.

 

[EarthlikeCloud]

The website mentioned is indeed active and seems to be the production endpoint for https://buy.scotrail.co.uk
View attachment 208850

Somewhat interesting based on this endpoint - a web development/e-commerce company called SRT Global Solutions uses the same distinctive font (Poppins) on their own website. Could be a coincidence, of course.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Somewhat interesting based on this endpoint - a web development/e-commerce company called SRT Global Solutions uses the same distinctive font (Poppins) on their own website. Could be a coincidence, of course.

I had a brief play and some of the text had a bit of an "Indlish" feel, e.g. dropped articles (also common when Eastern Europeans e.g. my Polish mate speak English).

 

[speedy1]

Somewhat interesting based on this endpoint - a web development/e-commerce company called SRT Global Solutions uses the same distinctive font (Poppins) on their own website. Could be a coincidence, of course.

If true, our intuitions were spot on lol

Now the question is, which (if any) ScotRail employee knows/is friends with the CEO/CTO of SRT Global ?