ScotRail is going digital, as train operators’ plan towards greener and more sustainable travel.
The railway company is following in the footsteps of Trainline, Transpennine Express and Northern Rail as customers are now able and download Single, including Advance, and Return tickets straight to their smartphones, using a brand new ScotRail app.
The new system is incredibly flexible, as customers are able to purchase their tickets wherever they are. Whether it be from the comfort of their home, or even whilst on the way to the station.
The ‘mTickets’, which can be bought and stored in the ScotRail app, have until very recently, been limited to cross border travel, but are now being extended to include journeys exclusively within Scotland. Incorporated is a live journey feature, which will keep passengers updated on platform and service information.
Lesley Kane, ScotRail Commercial Director, said:
“This is another big step forward towards bringing former customers back and attracting new ones, following the pandemic crisis where the rail network in Scotland lost 90% of its customers.”
“With our mTickets, customers will be able to plan, buy and travel using the new app on their smart phone.”
The tickets us a barcode, similar to a QR code, and are activated and scanned once commuters are ready to board the train, so there is no need to go and buy a printed version.
Each barcode will include all the information needed to check the ticket’s validity, and gates will ‘clip’ the ticket to ensure it cannot be reused. Rail staff will either be inspecting them visually, similarly to paper tickets, or will scan them using their mobile retail devices.
The aim of working towards taking everything digitally, is not only to become greener, but also to shorten waiting times by limiting queuing, whilst also easing crowding in stations, and to protect passengers by providing a primarily contactless journey, through cutting down the number of touchpoints and ticket machines.
RTM will be hosting a virtual event about ticketing and improving the passenger experience on August 18, 2021. Register to attend here.
