H. C. Kunwar**
The user-friendly SMS based ticketing system which has already been effective since 28th June 2013, is being introduced by the Indian Railways 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. Since the mobile penetration in India has increased rapidly, 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.
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 key features of ticket booking on mobile are as follow:-
Railway e-ticket now on mobile
• IRCTC introduces for the first time a non-internet based ticketing system that will empower masses even in remote areas to use the omnipresent mobile device to make reservations.
• Millions of rail travellers can now use their mobile phones to book tickets in a simple, convenient and secured manner.
• It uses simple SMS or menu-based USSD technology which works on all mobile phones and involves no internet and costs very little.
• The services can be availed by IRCTC registered users only.
Advantages of booking IRCTC tickets via mobile
• No need to stand in long queues or log onto the internet.
• Simple, reliable and secured.
• Accessible to any mobile user.
• Very little charges for accessing the service.
• Works on all handsets.
• Simple user guided menu – book tickets, search for stations, trains, availability.
Book your ticket through USSD
USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) based booking for Airtel subscribers*
Registration
• Register for Airtel money by dialing *400#.
• Load cash on this or recharge from any Airtel money outlet.
Booking Flow
• Dial *400# and select book tickets option.
• Select Reservation.
• Enter your IRCTC User ID.
• Enter the details of ticket (station, train no. date of journey, class etc.).
• Enter mPIN for authorizing payment.
• Booking confirmation SMS is sent by IRCTC and same can be used during journey along with valid ID proof.
• Fare & IRCTC service charges are debited from your Airtel money account.
• Charges: No PG Charges.
• Agent / IRCTC Service Charges: As applicable
Helpline No.: 121
Helpline Email : 121@airtelmoney.in
Book your ticket through SMS
1. SMS based booking through 139*
Registration
• Register your mobile number with IRCTC as well as with your bank.
• Bank provides MMID (Mobile Money Identifier) & OTP (one time password) for authorization of payment. (More than 25 banks are providing this facility. For details, visit website: http://www.npci.org.in/bankmember.aspx.)
Booking Flow
• Send SMS, in the following syntax, to 139
BOOK <TrainNo><FromStn.Code><ToStn.Code> <TravelDate (DDMM)><Class><Passenger-Name><Age><M/F>
• You will receive Transaction ID alongwith other details.
• Make payment through sending an SMS, in the following syntax, to 139
PAY <Transaction ID as received><IMPS><Your MMID as received from the bank><OTP, your one time password received for this transaction><IRCTCUserID> and your ticket is booked.
• Service is available to all mobile subscribers.
• SMSes @ Rs 3/- per SMS (2 SMSes are required for each booking).
• PG charges Rs 5/- for ticket amount <Rs 5000/ and Rs 10/- for ticket amount > Rs 5000/- (as applicable by bank).
• Agent / IRCTC Service Charges: As applicable
Helpline No.: 139
Helpline Email : smsticket139@bharatbpo.in
2. SMS based booking through 5676714*
Registration
• Register your mobile number with IRCTC as well as with m-wallet (http://www.zipcash.in/user/nlogin.aspx)
• Send SMS, to 5676717, in the following syntax START <irctc user Id> for user authentication (first time only)
Booking Flow
• Send an SMS to 5676714 to book a ticket in the following syntax:
BOOK<From stn.code>,<to stn.code>, <DDMMYY>, <Trainno>,<Class>,
<passenger name>,<age>,<M/F>
• You will receive the Transaction number.
• Send the 2nd SMS, for payment, in the following syntax.
1. “PAY <transaction no>, MPAY, <m-PIN>” for authorizing payment through MPAY
or
2. “PAY <mobileno>,<mmid>,<amount>, <transaction Id>,<OTP>” for authorizing payment through IMPS.
• 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).
Helpline No. : 8882001001
Helpline Email : support@saarthii.com
3. SMS based booking through BSNL*
User should have the following:
1. BSNL SIM card installed.
2. Java enabled mobile phone.
3. Andhra Bank Prepaid card.
This is a menu driven application where user has to enter the details asked for in simple step-by-step process to get the ticket.
Registration
• Install the application.
• Select the Register option to get the mPIN.
Booking
• Click the icon BSNL Prepaid Card
• Select Ticketing > Train (IRCTC)
• Fill up the journey details such as From stn, To Stn, Train No, DOJ, Class, Quota, passenger details.
• Enter the mPIN to get the ticket information.
• Charges: No PG Charges. Agent / IRCTC Service Charges: As applicable. SMSes without charges.
Helpline No. : +91-8801298038
Helpline Email : bsnl.support@pyrogroup.com
*This service will not be available between 0800-1200 hrs. However, the ticket can still be booked using mobile through IRCTC main site www.irctc.co.in
Source:-PIB
**Deputy Director (Media & Communication), PIB, New Delhi.
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