Railways is witnessing a major shift towards digital ticketing, with nearly 89 per cent of reserved tickets now being booked online, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The figure marks a significant increase from around 49 per cent recorded in 2013-14, highlighting the growing reliance of passengers on digital platforms for railway services.
Vaishnaw shared the figures in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, underlining the expansion of online ticketing as part of the Railways’ broader efforts to make passenger services more accessible and technology-driven.
To further promote digital ticket procurement, the Railways has introduced the RailOne App, which allows passengers to book both reserved and unreserved tickets directly through their mobile phones. The unified platform is aimed at making railway ticketing more convenient while reducing the need for passengers to visit physical ticket counters.
The growing share of online bookings reflects the increasing adoption of mobile and internet-based railway services across the country. From nearly half of all reserved tickets being booked digitally in 2013-14, the proportion has now risen to about nine out of every ten tickets.
The Railways has also streamlined the refund mechanism for passengers in case of train cancellations. According to the Railway Minister, when a train is cancelled, the online e-ticketing system automatically initiates the refund process immediately after the scheduled departure time of the train.
The refund amount is subsequently credited directly to the passenger’s bank account, eliminating the need for passengers to undertake a separate procedure to claim the money.
The move is expected to make the ticketing and refund process more seamless for passengers while strengthening the Railways’ digital ecosystem. With online reservations already accounting for the overwhelming majority of reserved bookings, the RailOne App is expected to further accelerate the transition towards integrated digital railway services.
The Railways’ increasing dependence on digital platforms is also part of a wider effort to improve passenger convenience, simplify transactions and provide faster access to services. The latest figures indicate that digital ticketing has moved from being an alternative booking option to becoming the primary mode of reserved ticket procurement for railway passengers.
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