Best App for purchasing tickets

[Thomas31]

From tomorrow I need to start using the train again but I’d rather keep interactions to a minimum, which is the best app to purchase tickets from? Preferably one with e-tickets rather than m-tickets...

 

[Jamesrob637]

TPE is good as you earn Nectar points.

 

[Lewlew]

Trainline has a very nice app. No fees if you purchase on the day of travel

 

[_toommm_]

TPE is good as you earn Nectar points.

I second TPE. Ignore the fact that it tells you you must have the app to view the tickets, as they now email them out too as PDFs

 

[setdown]

Does TPE app deliver e tickets for non-TPE routes? Trainline is showing e tickets for London Northwestern journeys, but the TPE app is showing collection at station only for the same journey.

 

[_toommm_]

Does TPE app deliver e tickets for non-TPE routes? Trainline is showing e tickets for London Northwestern journeys, but the TPE app is showing collection at station only for the same journey.

They do:

 

[ainsworth74]

For on the day travel* I don't think you can beat Trainline for ease of use and design (particularly the way that the e-tickets are properly integrated into the app). I've been saying in any survey where I get asked by a TOC what I want in their app: "Go and look at the Trainline app and then copy that as closely as you can without getting sued"

If you're looking to buy in advance then I use Trainsplit but it's interface is a bit clunky and the integration of e-tickets is there in that you can access them from the app but it acts as a download and then opens your phones pdf viewer rather than being built into the app.

* No booking fee when buying a ticket on the day of travel but there is when buying in advance

 

[setdown]

They do:

View attachment 80972

But not all of them then, as it’s definitely missing London Northwestern e tickets. I don’t think anything can match Trainline in this regard.

 

[_toommm_]

But not all of them then, as it’s definitely missing London Northwestern e tickets. I don’t think anything can match Trainline in this regard.

It’s weird, because theoretically if LNWR/WMT have enabled that flow for e-tickets, then every website should offer a mobile ticket.

 

[AnkleBoots]

For on the day travel* I don't think you can beat Trainline for ease of use and design (particularly the way that the e-tickets are properly integrated into the app). I've been saying in any survey where I get asked by a TOC what I want in their app: "Go and look at the Trainline app and then copy that as closely as you can without getting sued"

If you're looking to buy in advance then I use Trainsplit but it's interface is a bit clunky and the integration of e-tickets is there in that you can access them from the app but it acts as a download and then opens your phones pdf viewer rather than being built into the app.

* No booking fee when buying a ticket on the day of travel but there is when buying in advance

Amazing to see Trainline getting recommended for something! Can you also get cashback when using the app?

Am I right in thinking that Trainline will also split tickets but not as well as Trainsplit?

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Amazing to see Trainline getting recommended for something! Can you also get cashback when using the app?

Am I right in thinking that Trainline will also split tickets but not as well as Trainsplit?

Trainline splits tickets on the app but not on the website afaik, and has a nasty habit of not telling you what split you're being sold, so you don't know if you're buying Advance or flexible tickets, and if the latter, you don't know what services you can take (based on the splitting station) until you've bought the tickets.

 

[blakey1152]

I wasn't particularly impressed with The Trainline when I used it last month. They still sneak in various fees for example I was charged a corporate card fee and a credit card fee when using a MasterCard debit card!

To be fair I only used them because I was struggling to get the TOC website to show the correct tickets that I wanted (and The Trainline did show them)

Also wasn't keen on the e-ticket being the only option available for tickets too - but at least you can print them out

 

[alistairlees]

I wasn't particularly impressed with The Trainline when I used it last month. They still sneak in various fees for example I was charged a corporate card fee and a credit card fee when using a MasterCard debit card!

To be fair I only used them because I was struggling to get the TOC website to show the correct tickets that I wanted (and The Trainline did show them)

Also wasn't keen on the e-ticket being the only option available for tickets too - but at least you can print them out

Are you using their business account? Card fees for consumers were outlawed a couple of years ago. It is still allowed to add a booking fee, but that’s not the same thing. And any additional fees must be made clear at the start of the buying process, and not introduced as a surprise at the end.

 

[blakey1152]

Are you using their business account? Card fees for consumers were outlawed a couple of years ago. It is still allowed to add a booking fee, but that’s not the same thing. And any additional fees must be made clear at the start of the buying process, and not introduced as a surprise at the end.

I was using a Zilch MasterCard debit. And I even queried it at the time but the information on fees on the Trainline website it extremely ambiguous at best! I'm sure I read somewhere there were no fees for debit cards but could I find this in the small print anywhere on the site? Nope! Lol

 

[alistairlees]

I was using a Zilch MasterCard debit. And I even queried it at the time but the information on fees on the Trainline website it extremely ambiguous at best! I'm sure I read somewhere there were no fees for debit cards but could I find this in the small print anywhere on the site? Nope! Lol

Probably a booking fee, and not a card fee. At one time there used to be both.

 

[mirodo]

Trainline splits tickets on the app but not on the website afaik, and has a nasty habit of not telling you what split you're being sold, so you don't know if you're buying Advance or flexible tickets, and if the latter, you don't know what services you can take (based on the splitting station) until you've bought the tickets.

Before you make payment, there’s an ⓘ icon at the top, next to the word SplitSave which will show the details of the split when clicked on.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Before you make payment, there’s an ⓘ icon at the top, next to the word SplitSave which will show the details of the split when clicked on.

View attachment 81021

It certainly didn't show that level of detail when I first looked at the feature. There's also no indication of the cost of each ticket so if you wanted a refund on a part-Advance, part-walkup booking you would have no idea what you would be entitled to. That's not a satisfactory situation and it's almost certainly putting them into a certain level of legal hot water. Not that they'd really care.

 

[yorkie]

From tomorrow I need to start using the train again but I’d rather keep interactions to a minimum, which is the best app to purchase tickets from? Preferably one with e-tickets rather than m-tickets...

It depends.

Do you want to be sold a combination of tickets if cheaper than a through fare?

Do you want seating plans, so you can pick your reserved seat?

Or would you rather earn cashback, or earn Nectar points?

 

[Wallsendmag]

There's a new App out from LNER if anyone wants to take a look. Search for LNER rather than the old Travel Buddy name