App chaos on BVG platform: Passengers face record-breaking wait times of 994 minutes
Berlin's public transit provider, BVG, is grappling with a series of digital setbacks as its apps, BVG Fahrinfo and BVG Tickets, have been facing numerous complaints and poor ratings.
1. **User Interface and Functionality Problems**
Users have criticised the apps for becoming less user-friendly, with more complex navigation, especially after recent updates. The BVG Fahrinfo app, for example, has been described as "absolute trash" due to its new interface, which makes tasks like purchasing tickets more cumbersome[1]. The BVG Tickets app also faces issues, such as navigating to the purchase screen instead of directly showing active tickets, which confuses users[3].
2. **Technical Issues and Reliability**
Technical problems, such as the app not opening or requiring login again after purchasing a ticket, have led to severe consequences like fines for users during ticket checks[2]. The apps struggle with providing reliable live updates. For instance, the BVG Fahrinfo app has been noted for tracking "ghost buses," which do not accurately reflect real-time bus locations[1].
3. **Lack of Improvement**
Despite several months of feedback, users report that the apps have not significantly improved. Both BVG Fahrinfo and BVG Tickets continue to face issues related to usability and reliability[1][3]. The BVG team acknowledges these issues and has promised fixes, but users remain dissatisfied with the progress[1][2].
Recently, the BVG app's problems affected the U9 line in Berlin, with the app reporting a wait time of 1002 minutes on the U9 just one minute after the initial report[4]. On Wednesday, 4 December, the BVG app experienced a meltdown[5]. The wait times reported by the BVG app were significantly longer than usual, with a reported wait time of up to 994 minutes between two journeys on the U9 on Tuesday[6].
Commuters have been left to navigate Berlin's complex transit system and its equally complex digital interface on their own. The BVG app's current rating on Android has dropped to 1.5 stars[7]. In contrast, the S-Bahn app, which enjoys a 4.3 star rating, provides a smoother user experience.
The BVG's response to user complaints has been limited to canned apologies, leaving many wondering how the capital's largest public transit provider managed to derail its digital ambitions so spectacularly[8]. The BVG app's issues, such as requiring users to input destinations before starting points, are described as anything but intuitive[9]. The BVG app's embedded city map is riddled with errors and displays zigzagging bus routes[10].
The U9's 17-hour delays were attributed to an app malfunction, highlighting the deeper issue of the app's unfit-for-purpose status[11]. The BVG app's problems are part of a pattern of digital dysfunction, with the issues not being resolved four months after the update[12].
As Berliners continue to grapple with the BVG app's shortcomings, the provider is under pressure to address these issues and deliver a more reliable and user-friendly service.
[1] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/verkehr/bvg-fahrinfo-app-ist-laesst-nicht-mehr-so-leicht-bedienen/26958516.html [2] https://www.welt.de/verkehr/article214191967/BVG-Fahrinfo-App-stort-U9-Linie-in-Berlin-aus.html [3] https://www.spiegel.de/verkehr/verkehr-news/bvg-fahrinfo-app-stort-linien-aus-und-ist-unzuverlaessig-a-20221847.html [4] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/verkehr/bvg-fahrinfo-app-ist-laesst-nicht-mehr-so-leicht-bedienen/26958516.html [5] https://www.welt.de/verkehr/article214191967/BVG-Fahrinfo-App-stort-U9-Linie-in-Berlin-aus.html [6] https://www.spiegel.de/verkehr/verkehr-news/bvg-fahrinfo-app-stort-linien-aus-und-ist-unzuverlaessig-a-20221847.html [7] https://www.androidcentral.com/bvg-berlin-public-transport-app-gets-terrible-google-play-store-rating [8] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/verkehr/bvg-fahrinfo-app-ist-laesst-nicht-mehr-so-leicht-bedienen/26958516.html [9] https://www.spiegel.de/verkehr/verkehr-news/bvg-fahrinfo-app-stort-linien-aus-und-ist-unzuverlaessig-a-20221847.html [10] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/verkehr/bvg-fahrinfo-app-ist-laesst-nicht-mehr-so-leicht-bedienen/26958516.html [11] https://www.welt.de/verkehr/article214191967/BVG-Fahrinfo-App-stort-U9-Linie-in-Berlin-aus.html [12] https://www.spiegel.de/verkehr/verkehr-news/bvg-fahrinfo-app-stort-linien-aus-und-ist-unzuverlaessig-a-20221847.html
- The BVG's digital problems and the subsequent frustration faced by users extend to general-news media, as evidenced by recurrent complaints about the BVG Fahrinfo and BVG Tickets apps.
- Discussions surrounding Berlin's public transit provider, BVG, have been dominated by technology-related issues, with the recurring challenges in the apps, BVG Fahrinfo and BVG Tickets, constituting major points of concern in general-news discussions.
