Thameslink On Track 17+

The app does its job, it's layout is clear and simple, with a google card like feature to display information. It's got a lot of useful information that you need to know but not as much as it could have, things like notifications to tell you which platform your train is leaving from or in the event of a platform change or cancellation, the app could suggest which part of the train to sit in to make it easier for those less able to get off the train at their destination and not have to walk so far. The app could have detailed train information, knowing which type of train you will be getting (the nice new air con ones or the shoddy old and dirty ones) so you know if you're going to have power outlets etc on your journey. Storing card payments securely or better still Apple Pay to pay for tickets, and auto top-up for season tickets.

By dumbing down the user interface they actually hide some useful stuff. You have to use the little pop-up menu to find things like arrivals. I would like to be able to scroll back on my dashboard of frequent journeys to find the train I am actually on and be able to find the ETA. Perhaps a notification would be useful giving this once you have told it the train you are on. Instead it doesn’t allow backward scrolling so I have to go into the arrivals menu and find my saved station then the arrivals and work out which train I am on. Like others I have also had it suggest trains and routes that are bizarre to say the least - even though I have set it to use direct trains.

Finally why can’t they move the smartkey to be in the wallet of my phone and allow me to use the phone as my ticket? Maybe it does that but I haven’t found it.

This app is frankly not great.

For a start, the iPhone X form factor has been out now for over 4 years and this app still doesn’t support it.

Leading on from that, the design of the app generally is very dated. It has the look of an app that hasn’t been touched in many years.

There are a few nice ideas, like the ability to load tickets onto your Smart card via NFC. Only problem there is Thameslink claim that tickets you buy are available “immediately” which is a bit optimistic — the soonest I’ve had is about 10-15 minutes, the worst I waited over an hour.

Being able to quickly check common journeys is nice but it would be good if you could get notifications if your usual train is delayed or cancelled.

This app doesn’t feel nearly as abandoned as the National Rail app, but ultimately for most things you’re better off using Citymapper or the Thameslink website.