Buy Rail Tickets on Everyday Mobile Phones and Smartphones with First TransPennine Express Apps
No more queuing at stations with ticket machines in your pocket for Nokia, iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and other popular phones.
A local train company is launching a brand new application to quickly and easily help passengers plan journeys and purchase train tickets.
First TransPennine Express (FTPE) has teamed up with mobile app producer Masabi and online ticket provider thetrainline.com to offer customers a fun, informative and free application to make travelling by train that bit easier.
Customers can now download the free app which is compatible with iPhones, Blackberry's, Android, Nokia, Samsung and other popular handsets. The download is available via the appropriate app stores and customers are advised to search for tpexpress. The new app can also be downloaded by texting shortcode 'TPEAPP' to 86688' * and will allow customers to book train travel throughout the U.K.
The App will provide train times, fares and put the ability to purchase tickets directly in the hands of customers across the country - and all for free. There is no cost to download the app and customers are not charged a booking fee.
Vickie Tennant, FTPE's e-Commerce Manager commented;
"We are really pleased that we have been able to develop and launch this app. It will make planning a train journey that bit easier.
"Customers can check train times and buy tickets for any route in the U.K. and we hope that users will find it easy to navigate and fun to use.
"Best of all, it's completely free and coupled with FTPE's great value fares and no booking or credit card fees, this app is a must for all mobile phones, not just the new style smartphones."
FTPE's iconic branding can be seen throughout the app and customers should find the process of buying tickets that bit easier as it will remember individual's details including the use of rail discount cards.
Customers will soon have the option of using mTickets on some routes and services. For these journeys the ticket is sent directly to the mobile device meaning, no need for queues or paper tickets to be misplaced in their handbag or wallet.
Customers can pay for tickets by credit or debit card and all transactions are protected by award-winning, certified security software. Once purchased customers can either collect their tickets from booking offices or ticket machines within ten minutes of pressing buy.
"This application transforms the experience of buying rail tickets for consumers - whether they own a cutting edge Smartphone or a basic five-year-old handset. The user interface is designed to make finding the best priced fare easier than ever letting consumers plan trips at their leisure," said Ben Whitaker, CEO of Masabi. "We are delighted to be working with First TransPennine Express and thetrainline.com to help make 2011 the breakthrough year for mobile ticketing."
Richard Rowson, Product Development Director at thetrainline.com said;
"Mobile propositions have become a core area of focus for us over the past two years. The ever present and personalised nature of the mobile phone, coupled with features such as location awareness, make mobile apps arguably the easiest way possible to buy train tickets - particularly repeat purchases where previous details are stored. Our mobile apps have quickly become the most popular in the market for checking train times, and we are delighted to be working with First TransPennine Express to bring these benefits to their customers.''