Black Country rail passengers to save thanks to 'revolutionary' Virgin Trains app
Rail passengers in the Black Country will save a billion pounds in fares when a "revolutionary" price-guarantee app is launched, it has been claimed.
Virgin Trains is in the midst of developing the new technology, which is expected to go live by the end of the year.
It will cut through "confusing and outdated" ticketing systems so customers are automatically given the best ticket for their journey at the tap of a button.
Virgin Trains managing director Phil Whittingham said, “We’ve been in the UK rail industry for more than 22 years, leading the industry in areas such as introducing automatic delay repay and digital tickets and scrapping the Friday evening peak. But we want to do more.
"The changes we’ve announced, which align with the Rail Delivery Group’s Fares Reform agenda, could save UK rail passengers around a billion pounds a year, and ensure Virgin Trains continues to deliver for customers whatever happens with the West Coast franchise.”
Customers across the UK will benefit from an Oyster-style fares cap which will work out the cheapest fare for journeys, ensuring passengers have the best fare combination available.
The app will also deliver a "seamless" split-ticketing function, automatically calculating if a cheaper combination of fares is available, without having to change train or purchase multiple paper tickets.
Bosses at Virgin Trains claim customers will save nearly 10 per cent of the £11bn spent on fares every year by automatically finding the most appropriate ticket.
It comes after the fares reform consultation overseen by the Rail Delivery Group, which revealed passengers were frustrated by ticketing regulations which caused them to buy more expensive tickets.
The system will now be subject to industry approval before it is officially launched later this year.
