Don’t think the designers of this app actually commute
It’s got some good features, we’ll really only one the (next 5). It’s clearly Melbourne centric since the live (arrivals and departures) are only for Southern Cross. But you know, not everyone commutes in and out of Melbourne, and there’s also a second station involved the one from where you live.
For example: where I live, quite a lot of people commute to Bendigo. So the live arrivals/departures is defunct because it only caters for Southern Cross. My daughter also uses the train to get to school, it would be so handy to know when her train is due to come in (for picking her up - especially with the frequent delays). But that’s not an offer because the app only services Southern Cross.
And then next 5 whilst handy, is annoying because you can’t extend out beyond that. If I want that information I have to then search for it specifically.
Why can’t you show a specific line with all the times from your station to the destination easily?
So it gets a 2 star rating. It’s definitely below average.
For example: where I live, quite a lot of people commute to Bendigo. So the live arrivals/departures is defunct because it only caters for Southern Cross. My daughter also uses the train to get to school, it would be so handy to know when her train is due to come in (for picking her up - especially with the frequent delays). But that’s not an offer because the app only services Southern Cross.
And then next 5 whilst handy, is annoying because you can’t extend out beyond that. If I want that information I have to then search for it specifically.
Why can’t you show a specific line with all the times from your station to the destination easily?
So it gets a 2 star rating. It’s definitely below average.
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Not designed with actual travellers in mind
I’ve given this 2 stars as it’s better than nothing - marginally. It is overdue for an update and some additional features are necessary to make it effective. For example, in the next five feature I want to be able to filter out timetabled coach services and I do not want to see services that are not direct point A to point B (eg Sthrn Cross Station to Bacchus Marsh, don’t include trips that terminate at Melton).
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Journey planner doesn’t show journey
What kind of journey planner doesn’t show the actual journey???. Yes it shows depart and arrive times but not the stops along the way, even when you select a trip. There a plenty of reasons a user may want to see this when planning a trip. This simply takes you to a booking page where more often than not you can’t book online anyway. Also it doesn’t do much if it’s a myki zone - tells you to go to the ptv app if you want fare info.
Also the app does not show real time arrival times on the next 5 (or anywhere else). It only shows the scheduled time and anyone who uses V/line regularly knows this is hardly ever the actual time.
Unless you call the station and speak to someone you have no way of knowing your train is delayed. So you show up at the station only to find the train is delayed. The delay info is shown on the station display, why on earth is this not in the app? Pretty pathetic in 2022.
Also the app does not show real time arrival times on the next 5 (or anywhere else). It only shows the scheduled time and anyone who uses V/line regularly knows this is hardly ever the actual time.
Unless you call the station and speak to someone you have no way of knowing your train is delayed. So you show up at the station only to find the train is delayed. The delay info is shown on the station display, why on earth is this not in the app? Pretty pathetic in 2022.
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Response from developer
Hi Kathy, thanks for your feedback. Our app is aimed at commuters who use our train services, hence why you can only view the next 5 departures in the app. We will take your other feedback on board for future releases. Thank you.
Been a long time
- The past -
I remember being at Footscray when I wrote a review 2 years ago. I basically said the app is great for the on-the-go traveler. However, why only a 24-hour time format? Give travellers options. After a long-long time, it’s done, having a settings section that is only used for the time format, hahaha
- The future -
. Create a white and dark mode
. It’s time to merge V/Line into PTV. The 5-stop interface is essential, minimalistic, and functional. Adding services could be easier by showing rail lines using Google Maps but okay. Still, use that as the first page users see.
With all the added abilities like Myki management and a great journey planner, it does make V/Line irreverent: really. Take this on board and make them whole.
Sincerely,
Appreciative review
I remember being at Footscray when I wrote a review 2 years ago. I basically said the app is great for the on-the-go traveler. However, why only a 24-hour time format? Give travellers options. After a long-long time, it’s done, having a settings section that is only used for the time format, hahaha
- The future -
. Create a white and dark mode
. It’s time to merge V/Line into PTV. The 5-stop interface is essential, minimalistic, and functional. Adding services could be easier by showing rail lines using Google Maps but okay. Still, use that as the first page users see.
With all the added abilities like Myki management and a great journey planner, it does make V/Line irreverent: really. Take this on board and make them whole.
Sincerely,
Appreciative review
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Response from developer
Hello, thanks for your feedback. We’re glad the addition of a 12 hour time format has helped you; this was released in version 2.6.0 in December 2019. The PTV App and V/Line app serve two very different audiences at present; V/Line being regional commuters and PTV being metropolitan travellers. Many of our customers never interact with the metropolitan network and feedback has suggested customers appreciated the separation. However, we appreciate that things change and as such will be reviewing channels and whether they are best placed to remain separate or merged into one in the future. We appreciate your other feedback and will take it on board for future releases. Thank you.
Needs work, shows promise
Like all official transport apps in Australia, this isn’t quite fit for service. I use it mostly because it’s the only app that shows the platforms (which for Southern Cross is quite important) but even these aren’t always accurate. My main complaint is that it’s just slow - many a time I have been walking to the station and haven’t got the info I needed in the five minutes before I get to the station. Sometimes it tells me there are no trains when they are. Which is a shame because the design and features are fine (although it would be nice if it could recognise where you are so it defaults to the right ‘Next 5’).
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Some work needed
Have been using this app for some time and find it pretty useful but with some tweaks it could be great!
- There is a problem if you tap out of the app wile booking a ticket: when you return to try and carry on where you left off you find yourself back at the home screen with no idea how to return to your booking, so you have to start all over again. If you have already reserved a seat the system holds on to that and you can’t have it back.
- There is not much seat information visible. If booking a Velocity service on the Gippsland line, you can’t see which is the quiet carriage. It happens to be the first one that comes up. The result is that the “quiet” carriage is always full, often with groups having loud conversations, while the other ones can be pretty empty. It would probably better if the default carriage was the standard one and you specifically had to tap in to book into the quiet one. Please clearly indicate when booking into the quiet carriage as I love the concept of a quiet carriage.
- There is a problem if you tap out of the app wile booking a ticket: when you return to try and carry on where you left off you find yourself back at the home screen with no idea how to return to your booking, so you have to start all over again. If you have already reserved a seat the system holds on to that and you can’t have it back.
- There is not much seat information visible. If booking a Velocity service on the Gippsland line, you can’t see which is the quiet carriage. It happens to be the first one that comes up. The result is that the “quiet” carriage is always full, often with groups having loud conversations, while the other ones can be pretty empty. It would probably better if the default carriage was the standard one and you specifically had to tap in to book into the quiet one. Please clearly indicate when booking into the quiet carriage as I love the concept of a quiet carriage.
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Need more comprehensive trip planning information
I like using the Journey planner. The convenience of selecting my from and to stations, and seeing the train times is great... but... I NEED to see more than 5 services, or, I need to be able to move earlier and later in the day.
For example, I search for a journey, and enter the date, and it shows me the services for tomorrow around the same time as I am doing the search. I then have no way to look at earlier or later services on that day...
The app has the potential to be great, but it really does need an update.
For example, I search for a journey, and enter the date, and it shows me the services for tomorrow around the same time as I am doing the search. I then have no way to look at earlier or later services on that day...
The app has the potential to be great, but it really does need an update.
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Great! Please add dynamic departure times
Great app but please make the departure times dynamic to reflect the times on the platform boards when there are delays and it would be good to check the schedule of a service you have just boarded, if you are not quick you can not pull a past service back up.
Good but could improve
This app is great when I’m in a hurry and just want to catch the next train available or way up how long the next is. However while I love this feature I think it could be improved by letting you see previous trains as sometimes I jump on one but once the train leaves the station it disappears and I can’t see which train it was. This is annoying when I want to let someone know what time to pick me up. Otherwise great app.
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Has potential to be better than the metro ver
Love the countdown feature but there seems to be no function for entering traveling times as the count down only gives you the next available train no matter what preferences are selected.
The journey planner is basic and yet fails to load multiple times. Would love a more user friendly interface for this.
Love the integration into widgets for quick reference. Just wish some of the features actually worked. :(
The journey planner is basic and yet fails to load multiple times. Would love a more user friendly interface for this.
Love the integration into widgets for quick reference. Just wish some of the features actually worked. :(
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