FirstGroup plc : Virtual ticket is a reality on First TransPennine Express

Virtual ticket is a reality on First TransPennine Express Thursday 5 January 2012

First TransPennine Express (FTPE) is providing customers with a virtual ticket to make travelling by train that bit easier.

The train company has updated its mobile app so that customers travelling to and from Manchester Airport can use their phone as a ticket.

FTPE introduced a mobile app in October this year that allowed customers to purchase tickets and plan their journeys. This app has now been updated to allow customers purchasing Airport Advance tickets the opportunity to receive their ticket in a digital format, known as an mTicket.

The app works on almost any phone ranging from older style Nokia handsets to the latest smartphones. The mTickets could eventually be rolled out on all FTPE routes but are for now only available for direct journeys to and from Manchester Airport.

Customers can pay for tickets by credit or debit card, with no booking fee 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 or opt for the mTicket all within ten minutes of pressing buy. Tickets to or from Manchester Aiport that are purchased via the app will automatically be made available to customers on their phone.

The updated App will also provide customers with train times, fares and through it's GPS capabilities, live departures and arrivals from their local station.

It also now lets customers buy group tickets for up to eight people and synchronises with the FTPE website (www.tpexpress.co.uk) so all mobile and web purchases can be seen in one place. The app allows users to buy tickets and check times for all the UK's train services and is completely free to download.

Vickie Tennant, FTPE's e-Commerce Manager commented;

"We are delighted that we have been able to introduce these added features to what has so far proved a very popular App.

"Customers travelling to and from Manchester Airport will now be able to plan their journey, buy their ticket and travel on FTPE services all via their mobile phone.

"The Live arrival and departures board is also a really useful addition that will keep customers informed of the very latest train running information."

To date nearly 8000 customers have downloaded the FTPE App.

The FTPE App can be downloaded for free via the appropriate app store and customers are advised to search for tpexpress. It can also be downloaded by texting shortcode 'TPEAPP' to 86688' *

Ends

*Texts will be charged at users standard text message rate.

For more information contact Matthew Hay, Media Relations Manager for First TransPennine Express, on 0161 2288475

www.tpexpress.co.uk

twitter.com/tpexpresstrains

facebook.com/firsttranspennineexpress

Notes to Editors:

First TransPennine Express - run by First Group plc in partnership with Keolis SA - operates inter-city services on three main routes:

* North TransPennine - including Newcastle to Manchester Airport, Middlesbrough to Manchester Airport, Scarborough to Liverpool and Hull to Manchester Piccadilly.

* South TransPennine from Cleethorpes via Doncaster and Sheffield to Manchester Airport

* North West and Scotland - from Windermere, Barrow in Furness and Blackpool North via Preston and Bolton to Manchester Airport; Edinburgh, Glasgow, Carlisle, Penrith and Oxenholme to Manchester Airport.

* Destinations served by First TransPennine Express include Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Darlington, Northallerton, Thirsk, York, Malton, Scarborough, Hull, Selby, Leeds, Huddersfield, Cleethorpes, Grimsby, Scunthorpe, Meadowhall, Doncaster, Sheffield, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Carlisle, Barrow in Furness, Blackpool, Lancaster, Preston, Bolton, Manchester, Manchester Airport, Warrington and Liverpool.

www.tpexpress.co.uk