Commuters using Thameslink and Great Northern services can now buy digital season tickets on new GTR apps.

New technology means Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) smartphone apps will sell and store money-saving digital season tickets for the first time.

Rail passengers can buy and store weekly, monthly and annual season tickets as barcode 'sTickets' on their smartphones when using the train firms’ new apps.

eTicket season tickets are retailed as ‘sTickets’ on the apps.

The apps give instant access on selected routes to the large discounts afforded with season tickets, such as 12 weeks’ free travel on an annual season ticket.

Once a customer has bought and stored their sTicket on one of the new apps, they simply scan it from the phone screen at the station ticket gate. It removes the need to queue at ticket machines and ticket offices, saving passengers time.

Parent company GTR has not been able to sell season tickets this way before because the barcodes could be easily shared, opening the floodgates to ticket fraud.

New technology, however, has been incorporated into the company's new apps that creates a unique barcode for every journey taken.

GTR customer services director Jenny Saunders said: “For some time, our customers have been able to instantly buy and store single and return barcode eTickets on their phone.

"Now they can do the same with our hugely discounted season tickets, making it quick and easy to save money."

The new Great Northern, Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express apps also feature:

  • No booking fees – customers won’t be stung with added costs, unlike some other retailers.
  • The most up-to-date service information on the customer’s local train network plus personalised updates for regular journeys.
  • Digital railcards to give an automatic 1/3 off many other types of tickets.

The new apps can be downloaded from the iOS app store and Google Play – search Gatwick Express, Great Northern Rail, Southern Railway or Thameslink Railway.

Jenny Saunders added: “Our new apps deliver instant eTickets and sTickets on a wide range of routes with no booking fees, as well as personalised service updates and even digital railcards that save one third on many other journeys.”

 

About eTickets and sTickets

eTickets are available for more than 150,000 journeys across the GTR network. However, they are not available for every journey.

The  good news is the Great Northern, Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express apps and websites will automatically choose the eTicket/sTicket fulfilment option if it’s available.

Some of the main reasons GTR can’t facilitate eTickets and sTickets for every fare include:

  • If customers are starting or finishing their journey at a station GTR doesn’t operate, there might not be barcode readers available at that station.
  • If customers are purchasing a ticket that includes a London Travelcard, as there are not barcode readers available across Transport for London’s network.
  • If a ticket is classified as a “cross-London” journey (particularly relevant for some Thameslink journeys). This is because a paper ticket enables you to take an alternative route through London, if you experience disruption on your journey.

GTR is working hard in collaboration with other operators, to enable more fares in the future.

eTickets can’t be used on London Underground services, even when a paper ticket for the same journey will be accepted. This includes all journeys which include a cross London transfer on London Underground services.