Indian Railways: Online general ticket booking to start from November 2018

SJM1214 · 25th October 2018, 10:15

Indian Railways is offering a great Diwali dhamaka gift to the travellers by beginning general tickets online booking from November 1, 2018.

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By doing this, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation or the IRCTC saved travellers from getting into long queues and waiting for their turns at the ticket counters. Railways have introduced UTS Mobile app across the country, via which passengers can buy unreserved tickets.

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What is UTS Mobile App?

The UTS Mobile App allows a passenger to stay in a radius of about 25 to 30 meters from the railway station. Also using UTS app, one person will be able to book only four tickets. Besides regular tickets, passengers will be able to buy platform tickets along with monthly pass that will save time and energy.

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Though the scheme began four years back, it never caught the attention of people and was largely a failure besides in Mumbai, where it was a success because of the fact that Mumbai has a local train system within the city. Later, the system was introduced in Delhi, Palwal and Chennai and currently, the scheme is working in 15 other zones. It is also useful for those, who are planning to travel to far cities.

News Source.

Rajeevraj · 25th October 2018, 15:46

Was launched in the South Western Railway Division a few months back. Been using it for unreserved tickets and more importantly platform tickets since its launch. You need to be close to a railway station to book and interestingly you cannot book if you are already on the platform or in the train. Not sure if it is fool proof, but basically to prevent people booking on the fly when they see a ticket examiner. A good BKM is to ensure there is some money in the wallet to for quick bookings.

A good, much needed initiative.

paragsachania · 25th October 2018, 18:02

I have used the UTS app successfully twice and was unsuccessful during one occasion where the app would not respond. On all these occasions, It was only to buy Platform tickets while I went to drop few folks heading outstation by a train.

And installation of UTS App was by fluke as I simply googled if there was any way to buy e-platform tickets since the queue at the vending machine as well as ticket counter was super long due to festive weekend and I would no way spend 30 minutes buying tickets while I had to stay only for 10 minutes before seeing off my folks.

I downloaded the app from Playstore, installed and registered and loaded 100 INR into the wallet before purchasing a platform ticket but the app failed due to inordinate delays on that day and I somehow managed to get out of the station without being stopped by a TTE asking for a Platform ticket. On the other 2 occasions, it was quick and easy!

You can book platform tickets based on your GPS location and the app won't show you any stations in the list if you are far away from the station. So all the action (for the platform ticket) happens right when you are on the platform.

Related discussion on UTS here

In general, I have immense liking for cashless transactions that I hardly have any cash in my wallet and prefer e-wallets and the likes to make any purchase. Even the Malabar mess where I savoir the lovely Kerala meals while I am at work accepts UPI Payments (PayTM was always there)

.

All in all, I welcome the UTS App mainly for addressing the issues faced by travelers and folks like me who don't have to worry about spending time in the queue to buy that platform ticket.

knightrider_7 · 25th October 2018, 22:00

I have been using this app since last a few months.

You can book the ticket while you are on the way to the railway station. The app will show you available stations (source station) based on your GPS location.

You can book local, express, superfast, and season tickets along with platform tickets.

While it supports card payment, net banking, UPI and all, the best idea is to load the R-Wallet with some amount. The booking is super easy through wallet method.

App says booking is valid for 3 hours (to commence the journey). It is not possible to save the ticket or take the screenshot. You can access the booked ticket only through the app. It is available offline once booking is successful.

Earlier it was required to print the ticket from railway station after booking. Now there is paperless booking, which is what the thread is all about.

paragsachania · 21st December 2018, 06:59

I wandered outside the station and I even recalibrated the GPS but I wasn't able to book the ticket. Finally near the ticket counter there was a QR code and the app was non responsive to that too.

Ended up buying platform ticket at the counter itself.

So much for the paperless transaction.

Indian Railways: Online general ticket booking to start from November 2018-screenshot_20181221064706783_com.cris.utsmobile.png

Indian Railways: Online general ticket booking to start from November 2018-screenshot_20181221064247009_com.cris.utsmobile.png

silversteed · 21st December 2018, 08:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by paragsachania

I wandered outside the station and I even recalibrated the GPS but I wasn't able to book the ticket. Finally near the ticket counter there was a QR code and the app was non responsive to that too.

Ended up buying platform ticket at the counter itself.

So much for the paperless transaction.

You seem to be lucky. I haven't been able to register in the app!!! Whoever designed the user interface definitely needs a crash course, especially on calendar displays to choose dates. One cannot type in a date and has to scroll across months to select the date.

Like many other hyped initiatives, this one also appears to be done in haste.

ksameer1234 · 21st December 2018, 10:12

I would use the UTS app frequently couple of years ago when I was in Mumbai for booking suburban tickets. The experience was good every time. The only challenge would be with geo-fencing and at times more than usual time taken by the app to find the GPS signal. The geo-fencing restrictions ensure that tickets could not be booked when too far away from station or too close to the station. Apart from this, I found the app very useful to beat the queue and use alternate entry-points to station without having to go to ticket counter.

hgps · 21st December 2018, 10:34

Although i myself haven't used this app yet. But anyone facing GPS issues may try this app

Fake GPS

Set it anywhere outside the station and see if UTS allows ticket booking.
I haven't tested this though.

Rajeevraj · 21st December 2018, 10:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by paragsachania

I wandered outside the station and I even recalibrated the GPS but I wasn't able to book the ticket. Finally near the ticket counter there was a QR code and the app was non responsive to that too.

Ended up buying platform ticket at the counter itself.
]

The best way to do it is to book when you are a couple of km away from the station. Have noticed it shows up the station even if you are 2-3 km away.

But yes, the app could do with some fine-tuning to iron out issues.

25th October 2018, 15:46	#2
Rajeevraj Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Bangalore Posts: 4,795 Thanked: 19,207 Times	re: Indian Railways: Online general ticket booking to start from November 2018 Was launched in the South Western Railway Division a few months back. Been using it for unreserved tickets and more importantly platform tickets since its launch. You need to be close to a railway station to book and interestingly you cannot book if you are already on the platform or in the train. Not sure if it is fool proof, but basically to prevent people booking on the fly when they see a ticket examiner. A good BKM is to ensure there is some money in the wallet to for quick bookings. A good, much needed initiative. Last edited by Rajeevraj : 25th October 2018 at 15:47.
	(5) Thanks

25th October 2018, 18:02	#3
paragsachania Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Belur/Bangalore Posts: 7,147 Thanked: 27,207 Times	re: Indian Railways: Online general ticket booking to start from November 2018 I have used the UTS app successfully twice and was unsuccessful during one occasion where the app would not respond. On all these occasions, It was only to buy Platform tickets while I went to drop few folks heading outstation by a train. And installation of UTS App was by fluke as I simply googled if there was any way to buy e-platform tickets since the queue at the vending machine as well as ticket counter was super long due to festive weekend and I would no way spend 30 minutes buying tickets while I had to stay only for 10 minutes before seeing off my folks. I downloaded the app from Playstore, installed and registered and loaded 100 INR into the wallet before purchasing a platform ticket but the app failed due to inordinate delays on that day and I somehow managed to get out of the station without being stopped by a TTE asking for a Platform ticket. On the other 2 occasions, it was quick and easy! You can book platform tickets based on your GPS location and the app won't show you any stations in the list if you are far away from the station. So all the action (for the platform ticket) happens right when you are on the platform. Related discussion on UTS here In general, I have immense liking for cashless transactions that I hardly have any cash in my wallet and prefer e-wallets and the likes to make any purchase. Even the Malabar mess where I savoir the lovely Kerala meals while I am at work accepts UPI Payments (PayTM was always there) . All in all, I welcome the UTS App mainly for addressing the issues faced by travelers and folks like me who don't have to worry about spending time in the queue to buy that platform ticket. Last edited by paragsachania : 25th October 2018 at 18:13.
	(5) Thanks

25th October 2018, 22:00	#4
knightrider_7 BHPian Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Bangalore Posts: 294 Thanked: 434 Times View My Garage	re: Indian Railways: Online general ticket booking to start from November 2018 I have been using this app since last a few months. You can book the ticket while you are on the way to the railway station. The app will show you available stations (source station) based on your GPS location. You can book local, express, superfast, and season tickets along with platform tickets. While it supports card payment, net banking, UPI and all, the best idea is to load the R-Wallet with some amount. The booking is super easy through wallet method. App says booking is valid for 3 hours (to commence the journey). It is not possible to save the ticket or take the screenshot. You can access the booked ticket only through the app. It is available offline once booking is successful. Earlier it was required to print the ticket from railway station after booking. Now there is paperless booking, which is what the thread is all about. Last edited by knightrider_7 : 25th October 2018 at 22:02.
	(1) Thanks

21st December 2018, 06:59	#5
paragsachania Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Belur/Bangalore Posts: 7,147 Thanked: 27,207 Times	Re: Indian Railways: Online general ticket booking to start from November 2018 I wandered outside the station and I even recalibrated the GPS but I wasn't able to book the ticket. Finally near the ticket counter there was a QR code and the app was non responsive to that too. Ended up buying platform ticket at the counter itself. So much for the paperless transaction.
	(2) Thanks

21st December 2018, 10:12	#7
ksameer1234 BHPian Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Mumbai Posts: 779 Thanked: 2,704 Times	Re: Indian Railways: Online general ticket booking to start from November 2018 I would use the UTS app frequently couple of years ago when I was in Mumbai for booking suburban tickets. The experience was good every time. The only challenge would be with geo-fencing and at times more than usual time taken by the app to find the GPS signal. The geo-fencing restrictions ensure that tickets could not be booked when too far away from station or too close to the station. Apart from this, I found the app very useful to beat the queue and use alternate entry-points to station without having to go to ticket counter.
	(1) Thanks

21st December 2018, 10:34	#8
hgps BHPian Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Lucknow Posts: 116 Thanked: 458 Times	Re: Indian Railways: Online general ticket booking to start from November 2018 Although i myself haven't used this app yet. But anyone facing GPS issues may try this app Fake GPS Set it anywhere outside the station and see if UTS allows ticket booking. I haven't tested this though.
	() Thanks