Virgin Leads the Way with mTickets

 

In the UK, Richard Branson’s train operator has become the first franchised rail company to offer mobile tickets across all routes. So-called ‘m-tickets’ - which use a barcode presented on a mobile screen in order to grant passage - will be available for purchase on the Virgin Trains website and app.

The move will allow passengers to use mobile devices as both shopping portal and proof of purchase, streamlining the process - and saving tonnes of orange card to boot. Commuters can bid goodbye to lengthy lines at the ticket machine, and never have to worry about losing their proof of purchase again. It’s hoped that Virgin - so often a pioneer in new ways of doing business - will be the touchpaper for other train companies to follow suit.

After a successful pilot, m-tickets became available across all Virgin routes earlier this month. As of April, passengers will be able to buy mobile tickets on the website.

Commercial Director Graham Leech said the firm loves “innovating for our customers, which is why we were the first train company to introduce automatic delay repay and why we’re now the first franchised operator to bring in m-tickets.”

For regular rail users, such innovations are long overdue. Smart ticketing practices that use the full force of the mobile technology we all carry with us promise to improve train travel and cut down on unnecessary waste.