Passenger frustration with ongoing 'glitches' in new ScotRail app

Train passengers are being frustrated with ongoing problems with ScotRail's new booking app, a week after it was branded a "shambles" on a chaotic launch day.

The operator apologised for 'glitches' after hundreds of travellers were unable to buy tickets when it switched to a new booking platform last Thursday.

But complaints on social media continue to highlight issues around using return tickets, transferring season tickets and adding rail cards to the new app.

ScotRail said it was working "to address the remaining issues" and was supporting affected passengers directly.

It said more than 220,000 people had downloaded the new app on launch day.

It came after the operator switched from Trainline to a new supplier, SilverRail, for its ticket booking platform.

ScotRail had asked all passengers to switch from the old app in a single morning.

But it was criticised for failing to "soft-launch" the platform - a limited release to some users that could have helped identify bugs and technical errors.

Passengers have contacted the BBC and posted on social media about ongoing problems with the ScotRail app. Issues include:

Return tickets

"The QR code provided on your new app for a return journey just doesn't work"

"I have purchased a return ticket on the new app. It is now showing but is greyed out and there is no download or activate button."

Older tickets and season passes

"I'm unable to use my monthly season ticket at all now. It just keeps asking and failing to activate."

"The issues haven't been resolved. My ticket has not transferred. Additionally the old app won't let me access the ticket (monthly) that I've just bought"

Railcards and other problems

"After the initial chaos, I have managed to download the app and set a new password. However I can find no way to enter an existing railcard nor get help."

"How do I get my money back for tickets which weren't used because the app didn't work? The contact page on the app isn't working."

"I couldn't get through the ticket barrier with the ticket I used this morning, had to get the guard to open the gate."

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."

On launch day the app had been unable to handle the volume of people attempting to download at the same time.

Passengers were also forced to reset their passwords and, but many reported long delays before this appeared in inboxes.

For travellers who were eventually able to log in, their journeys simply did not appear when they attempted to search for trains.

Passengers were initially told they had until midday last Thursday to switch to the new app, but the deadline was removed when problems persisted.

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.

The app rollout comes after Scotrail began charging a minimum £10 fare in June for ticket dodgers to crack down on passengers boarding a train before paying.

Its published policy states that this applies to people who "board without a valid ticket by choice".

ScotRail has not confirmed if this applies to passengers unable to buy a ticket on the new app.