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GWR changing app/website provider on 24th February

WelshBluebird

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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.
Is it not identical on the frontend?
At least it is on android.
 
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angled

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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.
It’s still happening to me too. Blows my mind that they haven’t fixed it. Maybe this means only some people are forced to log in pretty much every time they try to use the app?
 

Oxstu@OXF

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Since the "update" has removed the ability to buy tickets for multiple different journeys, select "LONDON TERMINALS" as the origin or destination, select a window seat in the seating preference option, and constantly logs me out of the app, can anyone recommend an app or website that does all the things the old GWR website did? I buy multiple advance singles all in one go and these changes have made purchasing tickets directly with GWR such an ordeal I am willing to forgo my GWR rewards as a result.

Thank you!
 

bcarmicle

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The forum's site (click "Tickets" at the top of any page) should offer all fo that functionality.
 
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Is it not identical on the frontend?
At least it is on android.
Oh yes it is for the most part, sorry my annoyance was clouding my memory. The need for way too much tapping has been an annoyance with it for some time.
The forum's site (click "Tickets" at the top of any page) should offer all fo that functionality.
Agreed. I do have a couple of niggles with the forum's site (it doesn't handle scanning for earlier or later journeys very well in my experience, and it makes it a bit awkward to see precisely which ticket you are buying) but it's easily the best ticket buying experience I know of.
 

p.d87

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Just went on to try and make a seat reservation for a journey later in the year. Looks like the ability has now gone to do so independentlyfrom purchasing a ticket. Now need to call or email. This was a handy tool to use when using my staff travel card.
 

MrJeeves

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Just went on to try and make a seat reservation for a journey later in the year. Looks like the ability has now gone to do so independentlyfrom purchasing a ticket. Now need to call or email. This was a handy tool to use when using my staff travel card.
You might want to look at

 

p.d87

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You might want to look at

Thank you for this.

Helps explain. I imagine this will be causing all sorts of problems now.
 

aar0

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I can’t actually plan journeys on the new app, it always says there’s a technical issue. This also means I can’t buy tickets!
 

Kite159

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It looks like SWR might be following suit with changing website providers as they have put out a tweet:
Website and App changes are coming soon. Please save eTickets to your phone wallet, print any PDFs of your eTickets and load any smartcard tickets onto your Touch smartcard.
with a reply of
Hi, it is currently expected to take place on 26 March


Not sure if it's worthy of a separate thread if it gets confirmed they are changing suppliers
 

aar0

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I can’t actually plan journeys on the new app, it always says there’s a technical issue. This also means I can’t buy tickets!
GWR help via WhatsApp suggested uninstalling and reinstalling, which fixed the issue.
 

Mark J

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I did a journey at the weekend whereby the tickets were booked on the old system, so had to trawl through emails to find the booking confirmation.

Will have to do the same for another journey this coming weekend.

With regards to GWR Rewards. Had anyone had any issues with GWR Rewards crediting for journeys booked on the old system?

How long does it typically take for Rewards points to credit to your account?
 

FenMan

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The new GWR app has gone from bad to worse in my experience. I tried to use it yesterday to book a simple day return ticket, something I've done many times before, but had to give up in frustration.

Firstly, the option to use Google Pay has disappeared so the remaining options are entering card details or using PayPal.

Secondly, the app insisted I had to log in - it does this every time I open it and isn't storing my login details.

Thirdly I attempted to pay using PayPal - this resulted in the app going into a doom loop: each time I logged into PayPal it returned me to the GWR login page instead of proceeding to the payment screen. D'oh!

And, since the new app went live, the option to load tickets onto my GWR Touch card has also disappeared.

A bit of a mess. In the end I used the Avanti app to buy the ticket.
 

angled

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I chased their WhatsApp team again yesterday about the log-out issue (after they denied anybody else had reported it a few weeks ago!). This was their response:

My apologies. We have been experiencing a litany of issues with the app and website following a major update, which includes customers being signed out intermittently. We are aware of your specific issue and are working to resolve this as soon as possible.

I guess admitting there is a problem (or, rather, a litany of them!) is one step closer to a solution, but I'm not holding my breath.
 

WelshBluebird

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Specifically in terms of the random signing out I've had that with the GWR app for ages, well before this recent change, so think blaming that on the change is a bit unfair!
 

uniquicity

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I chased their WhatsApp team again yesterday about the log-out issue (after they denied anybody else had reported it a few weeks ago!). This was their response:



I guess admitting there is a problem (or, rather, a litany of them!) is one step closer to a solution, but I'm not holding my breath.
Can corroborate the logouts with the latest version of the app which never happened previously.
 

angled

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Specifically in terms of the random signing out I've had that with the GWR app for ages, well before this recent change, so think blaming that on the change is a bit unfair!

I had a similar issue a few years back with the old app but in the run up to the app replacement it was working fine for me. And then they changed the app and I am now being logged out all the time. Interestingly, I am also being logged out of the website all the time, too... and that also started happening at the same time as the app replacement.
 

ollyexe2808

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The Google Pay option disappearing is a particularly big issue. I got used to being able to pay for my ticket quickly and last time missed my train due to the loss of the GPay functionality (the time it took to put in my card details was the reason). Uninstalling/reinstalling app hasn't helped. I can't see how this new version is much of an improvement...
 

Bletchleyite

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The Google Pay option disappearing is a particularly big issue. I got used to being able to pay for my ticket quickly and last time missed my train due to the loss of the GPay functionality (the time it took to put in my card details was the reason). Uninstalling/reinstalling app hasn't helped. I can't see how this new version is much of an improvement...

These days I would consider Apple and Google Pay support part of the Minimum Viable Product. Entering card details is a faff but also a security risk in such a badly written app. I would simply switch to another TOC's app if I was you.
 

phil1960

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North London
Re: Inability to book seat (& cycle) only reservations on GWR.

This has come up on a Facebook group (Interrailing for the older crowd) and one post quoted this response from GWR:

"We are only able to reserve seats on GWR services I'm afraid. We have had complaints from other TOCs in the past when we reserve seats on their services"

Meanwhile as many may be aware TPE allow this and Seat 61 who has a very extensive guide for booking seat and sleeper reservations to accompany InterRail has been updated: https://www.seat61.com/interrail-and-eurail-reservations.htm#how-to-make-reservations-in-britain
 

Bletchleyite

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"We are only able to reserve seats on GWR services I'm afraid. We have had complaints from other TOCs in the past when we reserve seats on their services"

I can sort of see why to be fair. I did once try out to see if it would reserve on the Caledonian Sleeper, and indeed it did. There was however no way for me to cancel it (as I had no intention of using it), and thus they potentially lost the revenue from selling that seat (as reservations are genuinely compulsory and enforced on there). I had assumed that like LNER's tool there would be a cancel option, but there isn't/wasn't.
 

Class172

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Can corroborate the logouts with the latest version of the app which never happened previously.
Likewise. My app has been stuck on a login loop this week and I have also had trouble at times accessing my account on the website, with an 'unknown error' message occasionally appearing.
I can sort of see why to be fair. I did once try out to see if it would reserve on the Caledonian Sleeper, and indeed it did. There was however no way for me to cancel it (as I had no intention of using it), and thus they potentially lost the revenue from selling that seat (as reservations are genuinely compulsory and enforced on there). I had assumed that like LNER's tool there would be a cancel option, but there isn't/wasn't.
Being able to cancel existing reservations would should be a reasonable middle ground. I have on occasion had to rearrange travel plans when I had an existing reservation, yet there was no mechanism with which I could release it—obviously someone will probably sit in it if there is a no-show, but that doesn't help others when they initially get on a train and are looking for an available seat.
 

vicbury

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The new app really is garbage isn't it? Extremely slow to do anything, so slow that you think transactions won't go through (which invariably is the case).

Google Pay option has disappeared. You'll be damned if I am saving my card details in this new bodge of an app.

Signs you out daily, if not several times per day.

Forgets your recent stations and journey plans.

Expired tickets no longer archive themselves in the Google Wallet, causing great confusion at the ticket barrier.

The list goes on...

Luckily I also have the CrossCountry app installed, and that saved me with about two minutes to spare on the platform first thing Monday morning!
 

Mark J

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12 May 2018
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658
Found today there were issues with trying to buy discounted railcard tickets using a Network Railcard.

Wouldn't give me the discounted railcard ticket on any train before 10am.

Clearly the system thinks today is a normal Monday!

As a result, GWR ticketing lost my custom on this occasion.
 

FenMan

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Just to bump this topic. Despite numerous recent 1 star reviews in the Google Play Store, all complaining about the same issues, GWR have not updated the Android version of the app since the 13 March update, which essentially broke it.

Have GWR given up?
 

Mark J

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Just to bump this topic. Despite numerous recent 1 star reviews in the Google Play Store, all complaining about the same issues, GWR have not updated the Android version of the app since the 13 March update, which essentially broke it.

Have GWR given up?
I cannot understand why GWR (and SWR) saw the need to change from a booking system that already worked OK.

Especially as it is known they'll eventually be absorbed into some kind of central GBR booking system.

Just seems a bit pointless - plus a waste of time and effort.
 

Bletchleyite

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I cannot understand why GWR (and SWR) saw the need to change from a booking system that already worked OK.

Especially as it is known they'll eventually be absorbed into some kind of central GBR booking system.

Just seems a bit pointless - plus a waste of time and effort.

Worldline are/were withdrawing from the market so anyone presently using the "mixing desk" tool have to move off it at some point.
 

Class172

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Just to bump this topic. Despite numerous recent 1 star reviews in the Google Play Store, all complaining about the same issues, GWR have not updated the Android version of the app since the 13 March update, which essentially broke it.

Have GWR given up?
It's not just the Android version of the app. The iOS one is equally garbage as I'm currently made to sign in every time I re-open the app.
 

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