Maximum of 6 tickets can be booked by an individual user in a month – New restriction by IRCTC

Railway Ministry introduces new checks on booking of e-ticket/i-ticket through IRCTC website with a view to further prevent possible misuse

Under the new provisions a maximum of 6 tickets can be booked online by an individual user in a month on IRCTC website

This new provision will come into effect w.e.f. 15th February, 2015

The move aims to deter touts and to facilitate genuine users

1. Individuals are allowed only 2 tickets per user-ID in a day (for ARP booking) from 08:00 hours to 10.00 hours.

2. Individuals are allowed only 2 tickets per user-ID in a day (for Tatkal booking) from 10:00 hours to 12:00 hours.

3. Quick Book Option is disabled from 08:00 to 12:00 hours

4. All types of ticketing agents (YTSK, RTSA, IRCTC agents etc.) have been debarred from booking tickets during the first thirty minutes of opening of booking i.e. from 08:00 to 08:30 hours for general bookings, and from 10:00 to 10:30 hours and 11:00 to 11:30 hours for Tatkal booking in AC and non-AC classes respectively.

5. Booking is not allowed through e-wallet and cash cards from 08:00 to 12:00 hours.

6. There is only one booking in one user login session except for return/onward journey between 08:00 to 12:00 hours.

The post Maximum of 6 tickets can be booked by an individual user in a month – New restriction by IRCTC appeared first on CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES NEWS.

15% of online rail tickets booked from Bihar

Patna (PBNE): The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) created a record on April 1 by booking about 13 lakh e-tickets on its site, www.irctc.co.in. Normally, 5 to 6 lakh tickets are booked online from the IRCTC site every day. Bihar has become a major state accounting for about 15% e-tickets being booked daily.

According to IRCTC manager Sandip Dutta, Patna and Darbhanga are the leading places in Bihar for booking e-tickets these days. Interestingly, Bihar and UP are the major states from where online tickets are being booked from rural areas yielding good revenue to the railways, he said, adding the maximum number of e-ticket service agents in rural areas are also in these two states.

Dutta said out of 13 lakh e-tickets booked on April 1, about 15% were from Bihar alone. About 1.5 lakh people in Bihar book e-tickets every day. Buoyed by the increase in the online ticket booking system, the IRCTC has planned measures to providing better services to its customers duly registered with its site www. irctc.co.in, he said.

Railways online ticket reservation through the IRCTC site has registered a big increase compared to about 40,000 bookings per day in 2008, sources said. According to sources, the IRCTC has been making all possible efforts to expand its network to other private sectors.

Confirming the rush for the IRCTC site for ticket booking either online or through SMS system, the IRCTC senior official said, “The IRCTC has managed to maintain its lead position in the domestic travel ticket bookings. But it is keen to make its portal a ‘one-stop shop’ for planning tours and other services,” he said. According to sources, the IRCTC, a Railways’ wing, has already become an agent of International Air Transport Association (IATA). The IRCTC has tied up with Air India and Jet Airways to provide services to passengers, sources said.

The IRCTC ticket business constitutes about 40% of its total revenue. It is also planning to reduce the payment transaction time which is about 1.5 to 2.5 minutes per ticket booking online.

Read more at: Times of India

The post IRCTC plans to reduce the payment transaction time about 1.5 to 2.5 minutes per ticket booking online appeared first on CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES NEWS.

IRCTC now gives option to choose the berths and seats at the time of reserving tickets online.

Until now, private bus operators gave users the option to choose their berths and seats at the time of booking their tickets on the internet. From next month onwards, IRTC too is going to give the option to its users when they book their railway tickets online. IRTC has added this facility for the sake of senior citizens, families with children and for the sick and ailing passengers.

Senior citizens, women and those travelling with children were, until now, not given the option to choose the berths they wanted. All they could do was give their preference for middle or lower berths. They would be given those berths only if they were available. Only if all the berths of the S1 coach are filled will the berth allocation for S2 coach begin. So even if the seat desired by the passenger is vacant in the S2 berth, he/she cannot reserve it.

While presenting the annual Railway budget last week in the Parliament, the Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda said that passengers will now have the option to choose the coach and berth at the time of reserving the tickets online. He added that there will also be an option to choose the food menu while booking the tickets!

The Railways already offers facilities for users to book resting rooms at the destination station while reserving the tickets. Initially one had to arrive at the station, pay the fees and then book the resting room. Now, at the time of booking their tickets, they can also reserve the resting rooms at the prime destination stations.

Like railway tickets, these rooms too can be booked 90 days in advance. After reserving the tickets, the user has to present the reserved ticket to the officer-in-charge of the resting room and reserve the rooms at the destination station.

Although there are some practical difficulties in executing these plans, the passengers are delighted.

But, despite all these facilities offered, booking tickets on the IRTC website continues to be a daunting task.

Source: CGEN.in
[http://centralgovernmentemployeesnews.in/2014/07/irctc-launches-berth-selection-option-while-reserving-tickets/]

The post IRCTC Launches Berth Selection Option While Reserving Tickets appeared first on CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES NEWS.

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Railways

28-June-2013 17:30 IST

Mallikarjun Kharge Launches SMS Based Ticketing System

This New System will Improve Customer Convenience and Empower the Common Man: Kharge

The Minister of Railways Shri Mallikarjun Kharge launched SMS based ticketing system at a function here today. While addressing a gathering on the occasion, Shri Kharge said that this user-friendly service which will be effective from today i.e 28th June 2013, is being introduced in order to further improve the customer convenience and empower the common man who does not have access to internet and cannot afford to buy smart phones.

He said that since the mobile penetration in India has increased rapidly and more than 80 per cent people have mobile phones, this new system will be helpful in enabling booking of tickets by masses themselves. Ticket booking through non-internet based mobile, introduced as a pilot project by Indian Railways Catering & Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), a Public Sector Undertaking of the Ministry of Railways, will also help Railways in overcoming the menace of touting whereby unsuspecting people are fleeced by such elements.

This will particularly be useful for labourers and workers staying away from their home and who have to book tickets for travel to their native place, the Minister added.

The Railway Minister further said that inconvenience in booking reserved railway tickets has been a cause of concern for all.  In order to facilitate easy access, Indian Railways have been making efforts by expanding the    passenger reservation system counters network.  The online booking through IRCTC has now grown up to about 45% of total reserved tickets.  This has eased the rush at counters to a great extent. While internet access in India is only about 10%, mobiles are now in easy reach and more than 80% people in our country use mobile phones, the Minister said.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman, Railway Board, Shri Vinay Mittal said that Indian Railways’ initiative of launching the non-internet based ticketing through a mobile phone would further enhance the scope and each of ticketing since it has huge potential to tap the power of mobile phone. Shri Mittal said that this service will be improved further with provision of more payment options, user-friendly interface and value added services like alerts and updates.

Payment through mobiles is still in an evolving state and Commercial Banks, RBI and National Payment Corporation of India are working on providing a safe, secured and quick payment mechanism through mobile. As the payment option mature and user gets accustomed to SMS booking, it has the potential of overtaking bookings through internet as well as counters, he added.

In his welcome address, the Chairman-cum-Managing Director, IRCTC, Shri Rakesh Tondon said that this is, indeed, IRCTC’s successful effort in making railway ticket booking even easier through SMS or menu based USSD technology which works on all mobile phones.  Through this service, customer can not only book ticket but also can search for stations, trains, availability, PNR enquiry, make cancellation etc, he added.

Launch of ticket booking service through mobile phones had been announced in Railway Budget 2012-13.    This initiative will go a long way in customer convenience.  With the passage of time, it is expected that mobile booking will surpass reserved ticket booking by all other modes like internet and counters.  Mobile booking is not only convenient but it also saves time and money.  The user will have to get mobile money account opened from his/her bank or mobile money providing agencies as approved by the Reserve Bank of India.

• Ticket can be booked within minutes;
• basic mobile phones are sufficient; no internet connection is required;
• The user will get ticket details on SMS instantly.
• SMS along with valid ID in original can be used for travel, no printout is required.

• Send an SMS to 5676714 to book a ticket in the following syntax:
• BOOK,, , ,, ,,
• You will receive the Transaction number.
• Send the 2nd SMS, for payment, in the following syntax.

• After payment is made booking confirmation is sent to your mobile.
• Charges: No PG Charges. Agent / IRCTC Service Charges: As applicable. SMSes @ Rs 3/- per SMS (2 SMSes are required for each booking).

The post SMS & USSD Based Ticketing System – Non Internet based Mobile ticket booking for train journey appeared first on CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES NEWS.

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Railways

17-June-2013 13:06 IST

Railways to Launch Ticket Booking through Non-Internet based Mobile Phones with Effect from 1st July 2013

With an aim to further facilitate the passengers, Indian Railways Catering & Tourism Corporation (IRCTC),a public Sector Undertaking of the Ministry of Railways, will be launching a pilot project of ticketing through non-internet based mobile phones with effect from 1st July 2013. This will enable people using non-internet based mobile phones to easily access Railway ticketing services through SMS/IVRS/USSD. The scheme is user-friendly, secure and also eco-friendly, as no print out is required.

Indian Railways has continuously endeavored to improve the ease and access of ticketing. The e-ticketing initiative of Indian Railways has been one of the most passenger-friendly initiatives of Indian Railways. In order to further expand the reach of ticketing, the Minister of Railways had made a Budget announcement regarding launch of ticketing through mobile phones was announced in the Railway Budget. The objective was to tap the potential of mobile phone market in India and thereby facilitate the common man, by providing him any-where any-time and hassle free booking option.

The salient features of this new scheme to be operationalised on1st July, 2013 are:

• There will be a dedicated number on which SMS can be sent.

• No need of internet at any stage viz. booking, payment, cancellation etc.

• One has to register the mobile number with IRCTC as well as one’s bank. The Bank (one time password) for authorization of payment.

• The passenger has to type the train number, destination, journey date, class and passenger details like name, age and gender on the SMS box.

• The sender will receive transaction ID and then make payment through sending another SMS by typing PAY followed by the transaction ID, MMID as received from the bank and password.

• On successful booking of ticket, message will be sent to the user by IRCTC which will suffice as valid authority to travel along with photo ID card in original.

• Cancellation of tickets can also be done through the cancellation option available.

• The scheme will be on pilot basis and will not be available during the 8 am – 12 pm for booking ARP/Tatkal/General tickets.

The post Railways to Launch Ticket Booking through Non-Internet based Mobile Phones with Effect from 1st July 2013 appeared first on CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES NEWS.