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

[davp]

The purchasing flow on buying returns in the app is very poor. After you choose the outbound it shows the single as the "cheapest option" before the return fare(s). If you choose this and then select a return train with another "cheapest" single fare you will be paying 2 anytime singles for your return.

 

[kkong]

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.

The srt.global domain is registered in Iceland at the address of Withheld for Privacy.

So we're not going to find out who owns it.

 

[aaronspence]

Or SRT = ScotRail Trains

 

[kkong]

Or SRT = ScotRail Trains

Yes, that global TOC which is so legitimate it needs to cloak its identity via a privacy shield and a mailing address in Iceland...

 

[NomadTD15]

The split ticket info is somewhat confusing. Tried Berwick-upon-Tweed to Aberdeen single tomorrow after 10.00. The app offers split tickets on the 10.27 changing at Edinburgh (£29 to Leuchars, then £18 to Aberdeen), but the app initially says £29 Berwick-Edinburgh AND £29 Edinburgh-Leuchars, although by the time you get to the payment stage it correctly shows just the one split.

 

[py_megapixel]

If I open the website of SRT Global it offers me "50% off the first purchase of any service"

I wonder if Scotrail has availed itself of this discount?

 

[superkopite]

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.

Might the "SRT" in the screenshot refer to "ScotRail Trains"

 

[kkong]

Signs point to SilverRail Technologies owning srt.global

e.g. one of their other subdomains is agent-tool-web.dev.srt.global which has a SilverRail Agent Pro logo at the top of the page.

 

[Adam Williams]

Signs point to SilverRail Technologies owning srt.global

e.g. one of their other subdomains is agent-tool-web.dev.srt.global which has a SilverRail Agent Pro logo at the top of the page.

View attachment 208886

This.

I suspect they just wanted a three letter domain, hence picking a stupid gTLD.

It'll have no direct relation to ScotRail or the entirely unrelated "SRT Global Solutions"

 

[styles]

This.

I suspect they just wanted a three letter domain, hence picking a stupid gTLD.

It'll have no direct relation to ScotRail or the entirely unrelated "SRT Global Solutions"

Without going on too much of a tangent, why do you say it's a stupid TLD? I know there were some conflicts because people had been using .global for internal network purposes, but that's really on IANA's head for creating it. It's been around for I think about a decade now; there shouldn't be concerns using it?

 

[davp]

I see that you can no longer join or renew Club 50.

 

[kkong]

I see that you can no longer join or renew Club 50.

View attachment 208889

You can't do anything smartcard related via the app or website.

"This temporary change may last a number of weeks".

I'll say that the number will be much larger than two.

If you log into your account, there appears to be the option to associate one or more smartcards with your account.

You can fill in the ISRN and give it a nickname, then click "Save", which results - not in it saving - but a message saying "You don't have Smartcard on your account".

Lovely.

 

[Adam Williams]

Without going on too much of a tangent, why do you say it's a stupid TLD? I know there were some conflicts because people had been using .global for internal network purposes, but that's really on IANA's head for creating it. It's been around for I think about a decade now; there shouldn't be concerns using it?

I am quite cynical about a lot of the gTLDs! ".global" isn't quite as bad as ".online" so it's got that going for it but broadly I'm not convinced users really understand them and in this instance you end up with a TLD longer than the actual SLD. It very much comes across like "this is the only TLD that had "srt" free in it).

 

[styles]

I am quite cynical about a lot of the gTLDs! ".global" isn't quite as bad as ".online" so it's got that going for it but broadly I'm not convinced users really understand them and in this instance you end up with a TLD longer than the actual SLD.

In this case I suspect it's a bit of an error for this domain to have ended up public facing. Very much like the code is, `What tickets can't I buy on {currentdomain}?` and somehow the user has been sent to a page on that domain by accident. I don't see an issue with them for internal purposes at least, and don't really believe ScotRail want people to be ending up browsing railui-web-scotrail.prod.srt.global!

It very much comes across like "this is the only TLD that had "srt" free in it).

I suspect this is very much the case. But then who knows what the future of the web brings, and owning srt.global might actually be a solid investment as well as a way of keeping short FQDNs!

After all, if they keep this farce up, they might have to sell the domain to cover their losses

 

[davp]

You can't do anything smartcard related via the app or website.

I've written to Scotrail to ask how I go about renewing my Club 50. I'm sure they'll have considered this and there will be an easy answer, especially for a product that targets people based on their age.

 

[Furrball]

I've written to Scotrail to ask how I go about renewing my Club 50. I'm sure they'll have considered this and there will be an easy answer, especially for a product that targets people based on their age.

Someone had asked same on X

ScotRail (@ScotRail) on X

@68ABC Hi Candy, I've looked into this and you can renew by calling our Smartcard team on 0344 811 0141 option 4. Lines are open 0700 to 2200, seven days a week. ^Paul

x.com

 

[MadCommuter]

Another issue someone on X queried was annual tickets. They only work on the old app until October. After that, the ticket won't work at all and you have to get a refund and buy a new one on the new app - but wouldn't that be more expensive after the annual price increase? What an absolute shambles.

 

[Highlander1]

Another issue someone on X queried was annual tickets. They only work on the old app until October. After that, the ticket won't work at all and you have to get a refund and buy a new one on the new app - but wouldn't that be more expensive after the annual price increase? What an absolute shambles.

There hasn't been an annual price increase

 

[MadCommuter]

There hasn't been an annual price increase

Ah that's not so bad then but still an inconvenience for those affected

 

[Highlander1]

Ah that's not so bad then but still an inconvenience for those affected

Absolutely

 

[Hadders]

Another issue someone on X queried was annual tickets. They only work on the old app until October. After that, the ticket won't work at all and you have to get a refund and buy a new one on the new app - but wouldn't that be more expensive after the annual price increase? What an absolute shambles.

How is the refund going to be calculated? Also what about anyone who has an annual ticket expiring on 27/02/2027, deliberately timed so the next year's can be purchased on 28/02/2027 thus beating the next price increase?

 

[superkopite]

How is the refund going to be calculated? Also what about anyone who has an annual ticket expiring on 27/02/2027, deliberately timed so the next year's can be purchased on 28/02/2027 thus beating the next price increase?

I think the other question is what do you do after the refund but still need an annual season. You've been refunded for the remaining validity, but now you need to find the money to buy the rest of the annual season.

 

[davp]

Anyone wanting a season would be better off with a Smartcard, albeit they may currently be difficult/impossible to obtain and tickets must be purchased at a machine or ticket office. A valid Smartcard season will also give you 1/3 discount on off peak fares.

 

[Wallsendmag]

Anyone wanting a season would be better off with a Smartcard, albeit they may currently be difficult/impossible to obtain and tickets must be purchased at a machine or ticket office. A valid Smartcard season will also give you 1/3 discount on off peak fares.

Edinburgh Travel Centre will sell any ScotRail season on a Smartcard

 

[kkong]

A follow-up article has appeared on BBC News.

Claire Dickie, ScotRail's commercial director, said: "We recognise that some customers experienced genuine technical problems when the new app launched, and we are sorry for the frustration this caused.

"Most of the initial issues have now been resolved, and customers are using the app in large numbers to plan journeys and buy tickets."

Those quotes are doing some heavy lifting.

Most of the "initial issues" have certainly not been resolved, as anyone following ScotRail's X account, or reading the ongoing extremely negative reviews on the Google and Apple stores can see for themselves.

Many people are buying tickets, no doubt. She didn't mention that lots of those people then couldn't activate those tickets, or they simply disappeared from their account.

The likes of myself and others "using the app to plan journeys" (i.e. to see how ludicrous some of the results are) must be accounting for a chunk of the "large number" of users.

 

[aaronspence]

A follow-up article has appeared on BBC News.



Those quotes are doing some heavy lifting.

Most of the "initial issues" have certainly not been resolved, as anyone following ScotRail's X account, or reading the ongoing extremely negative reviews on the Google and Apple stores can see for themselves.

Many people are buying tickets, no doubt. She didn't mention that lots of those people then couldn't activate those tickets, or they simply disappeared from their account.

The likes of myself and others "using the app to plan journeys" (i.e. to see how ludicrous some of the results are) must be accounting for a chunk of the "large number" of users.

Rediculous comments isnt it.. as is this one:

ScotRail's chief operating officer, David Ross, told BBC Radio Scotland last week that "glitches is a reasonable way to describe it".

He said it is "what you would expect" with any new app launch.

I wouldn't expect the type of problems we are still seeing with any train app launch... Pathetic. Its very basic stuff, like tickets not appearing once paid for.

 

[scosutsut]

A follow-up article has appeared on BBC News.



Those quotes are doing some heavy lifting.

Most of the "initial issues" have certainly not been resolved, as anyone following ScotRail's X account, or reading the ongoing extremely negative reviews on the Google and Apple stores can see for themselves.

Many people are buying tickets, no doubt. She didn't mention that lots of those people then couldn't activate those tickets, or they simply disappeared from their account.

The likes of myself and others "using the app to plan journeys" (i.e. to see how ludicrous some of the results are) must be accounting for a chunk of the "large number" of users.

Rediculous comments isnt it.. as is this one:



I wouldn't expect the type of problems we are still seeing with any train app launch... Pathetic. Its very basic stuff, like tickets not appearing once paid for.

They are still living in denial. It's disappointing to see but it's another failure on top of a lot of others. They'll lose a fortune from this, as they'll have lost scores of people to alternative services where they don't get the sale commission, the only ones truly stuck with it are where the tickets aren't sold elsewhere e.g. Flexipass.

Thankfully I don't use them enough to be bound by that.

 

[81A]

I wonder if ticket office/machine sales in Scotland are up since the new app came out? Would be interesting to see how many people are reverting to smartcard/paper due to this (especially for things like seasons/flexipass where buying from another online retailer is harder/impossible)...

 

[Busman652004]

I wonder if ticket office/machine sales in Scotland are up since the new app came out? Would be interesting to see how many people are reverting to smartcard/paper due to this (especially for things like seasons/flexipass where buying from another online retailer is harder/impossible)...

I've certainly rediscovered ticket machines. So straightforward, you don't have to key in your payment details every time and the tickets work in both directions.
Tonight I use the ticket office at Queen Street where they have been dealing with app issues all day as were the barrier staff. Totally wrong that they are being put in this position.

 

[MadCommuter]

They are still living in denial. It's disappointing to see but it's another failure on top of a lot of others. They'll lose a fortune from this, as they'll have lost scores of people to alternative services where they don't get the sale commission, the only ones truly stuck with it are where the tickets aren't sold elsewhere e.g. Flexipass.

Thankfully I don't use them enough to be bound by that.

I've been recommending the Northern app to people in work and also a couple of people at my local station who were having issues with the app. Most people are oblivious that you can buy from another retailer though. But those that have switched, I doubt they will return to the ScotRail app.