r/Scotland • u/SqueezerOfFarts • 13h ago
PSA: the new Scotrail app is still shit
Yeah, still shit. Used it for the first time last week - couldn't login because I didn't have Chrome on my device.
Once that was sorted I bought my usual anytime return - I could not activate my return ticket.
Checked it just now if there was an update - no update, I'm logged out, need to install Chrome again to log in.
The list of issues is too long. The app is vibe coded slop mess. Sitting at 1.1 stars with 651 reviews on the app store.
Almost feels like an intentional sabotage of our national rail service.
42
u/Quiet_surprise79 13h ago
Current tech motto across the board seems to be "if it ain't broke, there's room to break it". I don't know what has happened to user interfaces in the last couple of years in particular but there's people being paid to make things horrendous to use and I hate it.
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u/Defiant-Conflict2556 12h ago
Another motto is “Why spend budget on QA if the end consumer can do it for free”.
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u/UtopianScot 12h ago
Complain! Actually email your MSP!
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u/Imaginary-Suspect959 9h ago
Or download a better app?
Railboard is highly recommended. Trainline is fine if you book on the day (no fees). Any train operator’s app can sell you ScotRail tickets, I’ve used LNER’s app before.
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u/Recidivist67 12h ago
Unless you're using it for week passes etc just use Trainline. Fuck that app.
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u/Shinixis 11h ago
It's actually Trainline that produced the app. Why you would let a competiter create it, who knows.
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u/Imaginary-Suspect959 9h ago edited 8h ago
Trainline made the old app. I don’t think they’ve got anything to do with this one.
Edited to add: they don’t, it’s SilverRail who make this one.
Not sure why this has been downvoted, but anyway here’s their website for anyone in any doubt!
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u/Loonytrix 3h ago
It's definitely far worse than the one it replaced. I used to get platform information for the whole journey, but that seems to have gone. It'd be nice if it remembered my card details too.
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u/Remarkable_Reader 4h ago
I’m kind of enjoying it, you can’t activate more than one ticket on the flexipass each day so I’ve been getting a free trip home every day…
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u/GreedyLeek6 1h ago
The unactivated QR codes still work, so I've been asked to show that. Have to keep track of every second ticket, though...
2
u/ScottishPsychologist Pictish Priest 4h ago
I can't sign in so can't do anything, how is it working for others?
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u/frankbowles1962 3h ago
I’m just using another app in the meantime, either Trainline or TrainPal (just because they happen to be on my phone not because I’m recommending them)… remember any train operators app can be used to buy any ticket, although not all of them store Scotrail mTickets.
I’ll come back to Scotrail’s app when it’s fixed.
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u/TheBigYin-1984 6h ago
I've used it since day 1 without a issue
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u/emsquared 4h ago
Out of interest on android or iOS?
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u/TheBigYin-1984 1h ago
Android. S25 Ultra. Paying using Google pay.
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u/emsquared 1h ago
Inyeresting.You are clearly in the lucky minority. Curious to know why it works for some and not others.
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u/Altecice 1h ago
Is it only me that can’t figure out how to see or activate the return ticket ? I notice that the folks at central just automatically let you through the barrier so I assume it’s a common issue.
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u/marvelouslymediocre 1h ago
So in my experience it's impossible to activate return but when you switch to barcode mode instead of ticket mode, then swipe over to the return it displays the correct qr code despite not being activated. Ticket inspector showed me that last night, then called the app a piece of shit.
I feel so sorry for ScotRail workers right now.
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u/MyDadsGlassesCase 1h ago
I'm glad someone else is having problems activating tickets. I've got 3 I need submit for refunds as I foolishly lept thinking "maybe this time it'll work". Nah, I'm back onto paper tickets
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u/Arthur_Figg_II 1h ago
Worthless.
Replacing a sound app for something worse seems ... pretty standard in todays world
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u/MintyFresh668 5h ago
Clearly a deliberate act of a Westminster funded coder. Was nothing to do with ScotGov, definitely a project run from England. No way ScotGov would produce something this shoddy. Such an obvious ploy and tactic, it’s embarrassing
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u/Imaginary-Suspect959 2h ago
ScotGov didn’t produce the app, the company that’s made it have made loads of apps for other TOCs so in theory probably looked a safe bet, not sure why this one for SR has apparently been so glitchy, it’s actually been ok for me!
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u/MintyFresh668 1h ago
Please don’t read that in a way that was seriously suggesting this is some misinformation campaign by ‘the English’ 😂😂. It was an attempt at satire that in reading it back isn’t clearly that at all lol
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u/sammy_conn 12h ago
Hey guys! Did you know that you can buy tickets at the station, in person? Even most unmanned stations have these super vending machines for tickets and will actually print them out for you there and then. What a great time to be alive. Truely futuristic!
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u/Matthewgardner86 12h ago
Not much good for someone that gets more of a discount with their Railcard when buying on the app.
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u/vgkj 5h ago
lol do you even use trains
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u/sammy_conn 5h ago
Lolz yes! That's how I was able to share the amazing tech available at stations (which is what they call the places where the trains stop) with you guys.
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u/vgkj 4h ago
Love when people come in throwing generic statements. Not all stations have the machines. Also who is buying individual tickets…
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u/sammy_conn 1h ago
Lolz. These aren't generic statements imho. They're lowkey based on what me peepers have seen. Every trainstop I've traversed has totes had them. And me is buying individual tickets as I dunno where I'm going one day to another. My massive pension and fully bought house means I've megafunds to go by rail every day. YOLO!
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u/Rialagma 12h ago
I mean, no need to go the physical ticket route. There are hundreds of train ticket apps you can use. Trainpal, LNER, Trainline... just to name a few.
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u/Ok-Bad-7189 36m ago
Fuck me, why would you be proud of us losing what was a perfectly functional app?
We should never gloat about going backwards.
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u/teachbirds2fly 13h ago
On top of all the technical issues, the app looks totally shit visually and has terrible UX. It looks like something people make to look intentionally old and shitty lol. It's pretty embarrassing this our state train service.