Train passengers are continuing to report 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.
Complaints on social media have continued to highlight issues with 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.
The problems followed ScotRail's switch from Trainline to a new supplier, Silverail, 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.
What are the problems with the ScotRail app?
Passengers have contacted the BBC and posted on social media about ongoing problems with the ScotRail app. Issues include:
"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."
Passengers also reported problems with 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"
"After the initial chaos, I have managed to 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."
What has ScotRail said?
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, 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 came after ScotRail last month began charging a minimum £10 fare for ticket dodgers to crack down on passengers boarding a train before paying.
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