MALIGAON, Oct 6: The Shareable UTS Season Ticket facility has been introduced on the RailOne App, providing greater convenience to passengers by enabling registered users to book season tickets not only for themselves but also for eligible family members or other passengers. The facility, introduced from 2nd September this year, is aimed at making season-ticket booking more convenient while further modernising the railway ticketing system.
Under the new facility, a registered user can book one season ticket for self and up to five additional season tickets for family members or other eligible passengers, subject to applicable rules. The minimum age for booking a season ticket for oneself through RailOne is 18 years, while the passenger for whom a ticket is booked by another user should be at least 5 years old. For self-booking, the ticket becomes valid from the same day after successful geo-fencing verification, while tickets booked for other passengers become valid from the following day.
The Shareable Season Ticket incorporates photograph and QR-code based verification to facilitate secure and convenient ticket checking. The passenger's photograph is displayed on the ticket and is also embedded in the QR code, enabling checking staff to verify the identity of the passenger. During travel, passengers can carry either a clear printed copy of the valid Shareable Season Ticket or its PDF version on a mobile device. Booking receipts, invoices generated through the RailOne App and copies of UTS paper tickets are not valid travel documents.
Passengers are advised to ensure that the ticket and QR code remain clear, intact and readable throughout the validity period. In case the QR code is damaged, altered, tampered with or becomes non-readable, the prescribed digital verification cannot be completed and the passenger may be treated as travelling without a valid ticket in accordance with applicable railway rules.
NFR has also sensitised its ticket-checking staff regarding the new facility and the prescribed verification process. Ticket-checking staff, including train-checking staff, station staff and checking squads, were advised to use updated Hand-Held Terminal (HHT) applications supporting QR-code scanning for Shareable Season Tickets.
The new facility is part of Indian Railways ongoing efforts to enhance digital ticketing and passenger convenience, while incorporating appropriate safeguards for ticket authentication and verification. NFR encourages passengers to use the RailOne App and carry the valid Shareable Season Ticket with clearly visible passenger details and QR code while travelling.