IRCTC pioneered internet-based rail ticket booking through its website accounted for 79.63% of the total reserved tickets booked online on Indian Railways in 2020-21. On an average, 4.80 lakh tickets were sold daily through IRCTC's website and Mobile App during 2020-21. The site offers round the clock ticket booking services, except for a 35 minute break from 2345 hrs to 0020 hrs

Ticket booking during the year was low due to the lock down condition imposed in the country on public movement. Further, bookings were totally stopped w.e.f. 15.04.2020 to 11.05.2020 due to unforeseen adverse circumstances in the wake of COVID-19 Global Pandemic. Passenger Train operations were completely stopped by Indian Railways from 22.03.2020 to 12.05.2020 and only skeleton service through Special Trains were operated post 12.05.2020 with some increase during festival period when few special trains were inducted

E-Ticketing Statistics

---

MOU Targets 2020-21 and Achievements thereof:

S.No.	Target	Status Of Achievement
1.	Hotel Booking on IRCTC Tourism Portal with integration of Hotel chains, Inventory providers and state government guest houses (10 Nos.)	Integrated 12 Inventory Providers with more than 100 Hotels.
2.	Loyalty Scheme for Tejas Trains by 31.12.2020	Achieved on 10-Oct-2020.
3.	Booking for Agents on Mobile by IRCTC by 31.01.2021	Achieved on 13-Jan-2021.
4.	Bus Booking on IRCTC Tourism Portal by 31.01.2021	Achieved on 29-Jan-2021.

New Initiatives Taken During 2021-22

• 1. Multi Lap Enquiry facility in IRCTC Rail Connect Mobile App and IRCTC Website: This feature facilitates passengers with connecting train Journey booking between pair of Stations for which direct trains are no available
  Website: 09-April -2021
  iOS: 12- April -2021
• 2. Retiring Room booking facility in IRCTC Rail Connect Mobile App: This feature enable the passenger with booking of Retiring Rooms for the tickets booked through App, at the stations wherever available.
  Android: 27- April -2021
• 3.Rail E-Ticket booking for Privilege Pass / PTO holders in IRCTC Rail Connect Mobile App: Through this facility, Indian Railway employees can book train tickets with Privilege Pass/PTOs through IRCTC Rail Connect Mobile App on iOS platform.
  iOS: 13- May -2021
• 4. Integration of Bus facility in IRCTC Exclusive section of IRCTC Rail Connect Mobile App & IRCTC Website (www.irctc.co.in ): Inclusion of this facility enables customers to book Bus tickets through the Mobile App and Website by redirecting to Bus booking page at Tourism portal.
  Website: 01-July -2021
  Android: 09- Aug -2021
  iOS: 26- Aug -2021
• 5. Infant Divyaang Concession Booking with Escort in IRCTC Rail Connect Mobile App and Website: Divyang Concession booking for the Infants can now be done through IRCTC Rail Connect Mobile App (Android) and Website www.irctc.co.in.
  Website: 25-Aug-2021
  Android: 22-Sep-2021
• 6.User Registration with Junk/Disposable email id has been restricted on IRCTC e-Ticketing
  website. (21-Sep -2021)
• 7.Integration of SBI General Insurance (27-Nov-2021) and Liberty General Insurance (01- Nov-2021) as travel insurance partners for IRCTC e-ticketing with premium amount revised from 49 paisa to 35 paisa.
• 8.General passenger booking through Hon’ble MP/Ex MP users Ids in IRCTC Rail Connect Mobile App: Facility to book General Passenger through Hon’ble MP/Ex MP users Ids through App.
  iOS: 11- Nov -2021
  Android: 18- Nov -2021
• 9. Refund of Travel insurance premium amount refund against cancellation of tickets in IRCTC Rail Connect Mobile App.
  Android: 02- Dec -2021
• 10. Inclusion of ADD MEAL option in IRCTC Rail Connect Mobile App: This feature will facilitate the user to add/book meals of third party (Other than pantry) while booking tickets, through in IRCTC Rail Connect Mobile App.
  Android: 02- Dec -2021
  iOS: 06- Dec -2021
• 11.Changes for On board Catering Services in IRCTC Rail Connect Mobile App: Through this facility, now customer can add/book meals for on board pantry car while booking tickets through IRCTC Rail Connect Mobile App.
  Android: 02- Dec -2021
  iOS: 06- Dec -2021
• 12. e-Gift Vouchers option inclusion under 'IRCTC Exclusive' section of IRCTC Rail Connect Mobile App: This feature will enable the customer to buy e-Gift Vouchers for various third party products as per the requirement.
  Android: 31-Dec-2021
• 13. Integration of "EMI based" payment option in of IRCTC Rail Connect Mobile App: This payment options will facilitate the customer to book e-ticket and pay the ticket fare in equal instalments as per his/her convenience as per the applicable terms and conditions.
  Android: 31-Dec-2021
• 14. . IRCTC has developed e-ticketing application for Paramilitary Forces for booking reserved rail e-tickets to their personnel. E-ticketing system was commissioned for Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) for booking Reserved Rail e-tickets for CISF personnel w.e.f. 04-Feb-2022.
• E-ticketing system was commissioned for Border Security Force (BSF) for booking Reserved Rail e-tickets for CISF personnel w.e.f. 17-Feb-2022.
• ?In the past e-ticketing system has been developed for CRPF, NDRF NSG & AR
• The online ticketing system will bring a major relief to these Central Paramilitary Forces in handling their reserved train ticket requirements and also from cumbersome manual processes for Railway Warrant management and their reconciliation and accounting between Indian Railways and Ministry of Home Affairs.
• 15. Launch of IRCTC BOB Loyalty Cobranded Credit Card on RuPay platform in collaboration with Bank of Baroda. (21-Feb-2022)

• A. Customer benefits from IRCTC Bank of Baroda (BOB) Cobranded Credit Card:

• a) Joining Fee of Rs. 500+GST on issuance.

b) Renewal Fee of Rs. 350+GST on Renewal each year.

• c) Activation Benefit - 1,000 bonus Reward Points on single transaction of Rs. 1,000 or more within 45 days of card issuance


• d) Railway Lounge Access - 4 complimentary access per year (1 per quarter) at partner railway Lounges (Only for Primary Cardholder)


• e) Fuel Surcharge Waiver - 1% fuel surcharge waived across all petrol pumps in India, on transactions of Rs. 500 - Rs. 3,000, exclusive of GST and other charges (Maximum surcharge waiver of Rs. 100 per statement cycle per credit card account)


• f) I Reward Point = Rs. 0.25/-


• g) Reward Points (Base) - 2 Reward points for every Rs. 100 spent on non-fuel retail purchases,



• h)Reward Points (Accelerated)- 2X i.e. 4 reward points on every Rs. 100 spent on:

  
  i. Grocery
  ii. Departmental stores (Max. 1000 RP per month)


• i) Reward Points (Accelerated on IRCTC ticket bookings)- Up to 20X reward points on 1AC, 2AC, 3AC, CC or EC class booking for ticket purchases at IRCTC portal.


• j) Waiver of 1% of payment gateway transactions charges on Railway ticket booking on IRCTC using the cobranded credit card.


• 16)16. E-ticket booking through AskDisha Chatbot: For the first time, railway e-tickets can be purchased in a convenient conversational manner using voice and chat, even without the need for an IRCTC password. The system requires no passwords but will work based on the One Time Password (OTP) sent to your mobile number. AskDisha (Digital Interaction to Seek Help Anytime) is an Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning based Chatbot, that answers queries pertaining to various services offered by IRCTC through which customer can now book reserved rail e-tickets also.
  Website: Beta launch 30-Dec -2021
  Full-fledged launch 31-03-2022

• 17. Implementation of option to book full fare berths for infant passengers (0 to 4 years) along with other passengers (31-March-2022)


• 18. Implementation of option to Re-verify profile details with Aadhaar. In case, user has updated his/her Aadhaar details, they can re-verify profile details with Aadhaar. (31-Mar2022)



• Launch of IRCTC - SBI Cobranded Credit Card on Rupay Platform 28-Jul-2020 :
• 1. In pursuance of Honble Prime Ministers vision of 'Aatma Nirbhar Bharat', 'Digital India' and towards fulfilment of mission of Honble Minister of Railways in achieving greater self reliance, IRCTC and SBI have together launched a new Co-branded Contactless Credit Card on RuPay Platform of NPCI
• 2. The card was dedicated to the service of nation by Honble Minister of Railways and Minister for Commerce and Industry Sh. Piyush Goyal on 28th July, 2020


• 3. The Card is designed to reward Frequent Railway Travellers, wherein the new Co-branded Credit Card offers the rail passengers maximum savings proposition on their travel together with exclusive benefits on retail, dining and entertainment as well as transaction fee waivers. There is no online transaction charge for booking e-tickets through these cards on IRCTC website and Mobile Apps
• 4. The IRCTC SBI Credit Card on RuPay platform is fully indigenous, developed by IRCTC & SBI Card on RuPay platform of NPCI
• 5. Equipped with Near Field Communication (NFC) technology whereby the users can expedite their transactions at the POS machines by just tapping the card on the machines without requiring to swipe the card
• Launch of IRCTC New User Interface - 31-Dec-2020 :
• 1. IRCTC has been constantly putting in its efforts to enhance the customer experience and convenience while booking reserved rail e-tickets through its Website and Rail Connect Mobile Apps
• 2. A much-needed push has come in the form of IRCTC's New e-Ticketing Interface - A Digital India initiative, which promises to transform the service delivery experience offered to travellers
• 3. IRCTC being a first contact point for travelling citizens with the Railways, need for New UI was felt to further enhance user personalization and facilitation of the IRCTC Website and Mobile App with more user friendly features and more comfortable navigation. This work has been carried out despite COVID 19 pandemic restriction in proper working of Office. The look and feel of the interface has been changed with simplified and appealing design

• Salient features of New UI are:
• 1. Customized Prompts for individual's (on login) Dashboard for Last Transaction, Upcoming Journeys, booking Meals, Hotel and Retiring Room
• 2. One click Rebook Favourite Journeys and Refund Status Check
• 3. Intelligent Journey and Stations Suggestions from Recent Searches / bookings: Display of Most booked stations and Routes by the individual (on login) or generally, first in the dropdown list of "From Stations
• 4. Provision to search Trains with Available Berths only
• 5. Provision for Storing Passenger names and prompting them while booking tickets.
• 6. Convenience for booking Meals, Hotel and Retiring Room while booking tickets and for upcoming journeys on already booked tickets
• 7. One stop Train Selection features on Same Page like Class Wise Fare, Seat Availability, Confirmation Probability (in case of WL) and various filters for all classes available on trains to reduce number of clicks and searches
• 8. More enhanced design of payment page, Summary Page with more Journey, passenger, fare and Meal Opted details in the side block
• 9. New Location for "Boarding Point Change" with more details like Boarding Date and Time




IRCTC Rail Connect Mobile App New User Interface






Highlights of Internet Ticketing (2021-22)

• 1. A record of highest ever website booking is 15,88,592 tickets reported on 21 March, 2022.
• 2. Total number of tickets booked were 4174.49 Lakhs, which is 140% of the last year.
• 3. Total Train Ticket Fare for online e-ticketing during the year 2021-22 was Rs. 38178.32 crores.
• 4. 7.81 Crore Mobile App (on Android & iOS) Downloads till 31st March, 2022.
• 5.. Mobile Bookings: The average Mobile App bookings during 2021-22 were 5.25 Lakh tickets per day, as compared to 2.21 Lakh tickets in 2020-21. 46% of IRCTC e-Tickets have been booked through IRCTC Rail Connect Mobile App during FY 2021-22.
• 6.About 80.43% of Reserved Rail tickets were booked online in 2021-22, as compared to 79.83% in 2020-21. There has been continuous increase in online booking share over the years.
• 7. Launch of IRCTC BOB Loyalty Cobranded Credit Card on RuPay platform in collaboration with Bank of Baroda on 21-Feb-2022.
• 8. Integration of AskDisha Chatbot for E-ticket booking on 31-Mar-2022
• 9. Launch of CISF for e-Ticket booking on 04-Feb-2022.
• 10. Launch of BSF for e-Ticket booking on 17-Feb-2022.