Amtrak arrives into the 21st century

[GurraJG]

http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/29/amtr ... tic-thing/

"It's taken THIS LONG for such a system to exist?!? Wow."

That was my first thought until I realised that here in Britain no such system exists either...

[Chris]

BOOOOM

[GurraJG]

BOOOOM

Holy crap, Chiltern Railways has realised we live in the 21st century and have decided to implement a technology available for many years!

[Kevo00]

We're close enough. The code issue and print at the station idea (fastticket) is just as adequate as many airline's e-ticket, I find...

[GurraJG]

We're close enough. The code issue and print at the station idea (fastticket) is just as adequate as many airline's e-ticket, I find...

Adequate, yes, but it's so nice being able to get on a train and just have your phone's display scanned by the conductor without having to go through finding a machine, feeding in a code, waiting for it to print... especially if you're in a hurry!

[orudge]

Wrexham and Shropshire had mobile ticketing in 2009, and I used an e-ticket on Virgin Trains earlier this year. It's not all that new. There would appear not to be a nationwide standard, however.

[GurraJG]

OK, so I was wrong saying it doesn't exist in Britain... but a nation-wide standard would be nice. Or at least for my TOC to introduce it!

[Ameecher]

NXEA will do nothing, best hope is for 2013 when you Abellio bugger off and a new proper franchise is let. Status quo for the next couple of years I'm afraid.

[GurraJG]

NXEA will do nothing, best hope is for 2013 when you Abellio bugger off and a new proper franchise is let. Status quo for the next couple of years I'm afraid.

Oh joy...

[John]

I'd seriously question the language Chiltern uses in that press release, given that Heathrow Express had an app in the iPhone Appstore 5 months prior to the press release.

Heathrow Express has had mobile ticketing for some time now - no doubt pre 2009.

But then it is easier to implement on such a small network (and such high prices...).

[Kevo00]

Not as good as mobile phone technology, but I've just printed East Coast tickets at home.

[John]

True, but then if my memory is correct, the Heathrow Express service makes you call up a unique website.

If they didn't have free wifi on the train, it would be a pretty useless service.

[audigex]

I'm pretty sure that Northern only accept half-crown coins or 1804 Royal Navy 3% bonds.