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Indian Railways to launch a ‘super app’ soon! Soon book tickets, track trains, order food on just one app – details here

suimt — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 04:45:00 +0000

Indian Railways new super app will enable users to book tickets, purchase platform passes, and monitor train schedules.

New Indian Railways ‘super app’ soon! The Indian Railways plans to introduce a comprehensive mobile application by the end of December, combining various passenger services into a single platform, according to officials familiar with the development.
The application will enable users to book tickets, purchase platform passes, and monitor train schedules. The new application, under development by CRIS, will work in conjunction with IRCTC‘s existing systems.
“IRCTC will continue as the interface between CRIS and passengers buying train tickets. Integration between the planned super app and IRCTC is underway,” a senior official disclosed to ET.
Currently, railway passengers utilize several different applications and websites for various services, including IRCTC Rail Connect for ticket transactions, IRCTC eCatering Food on Track for meal delivery, Rail Madad for feedback, UTS for unreserved tickets, and National Train Enquiry System for train tracking.

IRCTC Super App

IRCTC Rail Connect, with its exclusive rights for reserved ticket booking, has achieved more than 100 million downloads, making it the most utilized railway application.
“IRCTC sees the super app as another avenue for earnings,” the official stated. The organization is currently improving its technical infrastructure to enhance service delivery.
Third-party travel booking platforms also depend on IRCTC for train reservations, highlighting its dominant position in online ticket bookings.
Also Read | Booking a train ticket? New Indian Railways train ticket reservation rules effective from November 1 – check details
For the fiscal year 2023-24, IRCTC reported a net profit of Rs 1,111.26 crore and revenue of Rs 4,270.18 crore. Ticket sales, which processed over 453 million bookings, contributed 30.33% of the total revenue, as stated in their annual report.
The UTS application, which has been downloaded more than 10 million times, specifically handles platform tickets and season passes.
CRIS maintains its role in developing and supporting essential software systems for railway operations and services.

Booking a train ticket? New Indian Railways train ticket reservation rules effective from November 1 – check details

suimt — Sat, 02 Nov 2024 04:49:46 +0000

Starting November 1, 2024, passengers can reserve train tickets 60 days before departure.

New IRCTC train ticket advance booking rules: If you are planning to book a train ticket in advance, then it is important to be aware of the new Indian Railways advance train ticket booking rules that have come into effect from November 1, 2024. Indian Railways has announced modifications to its advance ticket booking system.
Starting November 1, 2024, passengers can reserve train tickets 60 days before departure, replacing the existing 120-day advance booking window. The implementation of these new regulations won’t affect previously booked tickets.
This change in advance reservation period from 120 days to 60 days aims to address issues faced by passengers when trains are cancelled after booking tickets far in advance. The change aims to create a more efficient booking system.
The reduction to 60 days considers several factors including flexibility for spontaneous travel, precise journey planning, and reduced cancellations. Sources indicate this change will help combat ticket touting activities that exploited the longer booking period.
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With effect from 01.11.2024, the ARP or Advance Reservation Period will be 60 days (excluding the day of journey) and bookings will be done accordingly. However, all bookings done up to 31.10.2024 under the ARP of 120 days will remain intact.

New Train Ticket Booking Rules Explained:

The Indian Railways has revised its advance reservation policies, implementing a new 60-day Advance Reservation Period (ARP) starting November 1, 2024. This replaces the previous 120-day window. All reservations made before October 31, 2024, under the existing 120-day ARP will remain valid.
Passengers who have made bookings beyond the new 60-day window will still be able to cancel their tickets if needed. The railway authorities will process these cancellations according to standard procedures.
The existing booking restrictions for specific daytime Express services, including “Taj Express” and “Gomti Express,” will continue unchanged. Additionally, the special provision allowing foreign tourists to book tickets 365 days in advance remains unaltered under the new guidelines.

The Advance Reservation Period has been modified 12 times since 1981. The system previously operated with a 30-day window from September 1995 to February 1998, and in April 2015, it was extended to 120 days to allow bookings four months ahead.
Indian Railways is also advancing its technological capabilities through AI implementation. Indian Railways has implemented artificial intelligence technology to enhance train seat allocation. The system utilizes an AI-powered solution that examines passenger data and forecasts vacant seats following the creation of reservation charts, which occurs four hours prior to departure. This automated process enables more effective distribution of seats to waitlisted travelers.

New train ticket booking rules: Why has Indian Railways cut the advance reservation period to 60 days? Top 5 reasons

suimt — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 10:10:48 +0000

The new rules for advance train ticket reservations will not affect tickets that have already been booked.

New IRCTC train ticket reservation rules 2024: Indian Railways has updated the advance reservation period for train ticket booking, reducing it from 120 days, to 60 days. The new advance train ticket booking rules will be effective from November 1, 2024.
The new rules for advance train ticket reservations will not affect tickets that have already been booked. Since 1981, the Indian Railways’ Advance Reservation Period (ARP) has undergone its 12th revision.
From September 1995 to February 1998, the shortest ARP duration was only 30 days. In April 2015, the Railways decided to significantly extend the ARP to 120 days, enabling passengers to reserve their tickets up to four months prior to their travel date.
Also Read | ‘Negligence of railway…’: Why Indian Railways has been asked to pay Rs 4.7 lakh to a passenger for bag theft
So why did Indian Railways decide to reduce the ARP to 60 days? We take a look at the top 5 reasons:

The 120-day reservation period for train tickets was found to be excessively long, leading to a high number of cancellations and wasted seats or berths due to passengers not showing up for their journeys. Currently, the cancellation rate stands at approximately 21%, while 4-5% of passengers fail to appear for their scheduled trips.
The issue of “no-shows” has been a significant concern, as many passengers neglect to cancel their tickets and do not turn up for their journeys. This behavior has led to various fraudulent activities, such as impersonation and illegal money collection by railway officials. By reducing the reservation period, these problems can be effectively addressed, says Indian Railways.

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Also, longer reservation periods increased the likelihood of individuals blocking tickets, potentially preventing genuine passengers from securing their desired seats.
Shorter reservation periods are expected to encourage more bookings by authentic travelers. It is important to note that this change does not impact General class tickets, as they are typically purchased just before the journey.
By improving the visibility of demand through reduced cancellations and no-shows, Indian Railways says it can plan and introduce more special trains well in advance, enhancing the overall efficiency and convenience for passengers.