New research released as rail operator unveils latest passenger mobile ‘app’. With millions of people across Britain using public transport on a daily basis, new research has identified an emerging group of ‘pocket patting’ travellers who have a daily struggle to make it to their destinations.

The figures which have emerged in a poll of 2,000 rail users have highlighted the average passenger is so worried about losing their train ticket, they’ll pat pockets and peek in purses three times before every train journey - costing a frequent typical passenger 24 wasted hours each year - an astonishing 45 days over the average working career.

The results from the rail study were announced today by CrossCountry Trains and has underlined the need for passengers to embrace modern technology which can reduce daily stresses. The release of the survey results marks the launch of CrossCountry’s new mobile app ‘Train Tickets’, which, amongst other features, allows customers to buy and receive m-tickets directly to their mobile.

The free Train Tickets app, launching today (19th September), is the modern take on the office PA, and helps to not only ensure a passenger’s ticket is always with them, but also integrates real time departure and journey information to keep customers informed on the move - a combination which is unique to the CrossCountry app - ‘Train Tickets’.

Users simply activate m-tickets before their journey - which are conveniently saved in a nifty ticket wallet within the application. The Train Manager can then inspect the m-ticket eliminating the need to worry about losing paper tickets (47% survey had misplaced one in the last 12 months), time spent searching for tickets and time spent queuing to collect tickets at stations.

Andy Cooper, Managing Director at CrossCountry said: “The ‘Train Tickets’ app will help to transform the process of travelling by train. Access to live departure boards and an intuitive user interface, making it quicker and easier to buy cheaper Advance fares, gives the consumer full control over their journey. The innovative approach to m-tickets taken by CrossCountry has made it possible to deliver a simple and secure mobile ticketing solution for customers that will help transform the experience of buying rail tickets.”

The ‘Train Tickets’ app supports iPhone, Blackberry, Android and Nokia smartphones as well as most everyday handsets. Developed by technology specialists Masabi, it can be downloaded from major app stores.