Indian Railways has the fourth largest train network in the world, helping millions of people reach their destinations daily.
If you travel by train, there’s exciting news: Railways plans to launch a super app by the end of December.
This app will allow passengers to book tickets, order food, and check train status all in one place. This will make traveling much easier for everyone.
Features of the New App
The super app is being developed by CRIS and will be linked to the IRCTC ticket booking website.
Once launched, it will provide many benefits to passengers, making train travel smoother. CRIS is responsible for the technical work of the railways.
Currently, ticket booking is done through IRCTC’s app and website. The new app aims to organize these services better and help increase railway revenue.
Many tasks will become simpler with the super app. According to a report in the Economic Times, the app is expected to be available by the end of December.
An official mentioned that IRCTC will serve as the link between CRIS and passengers purchasing tickets. The integration between the new app and IRCTC is being planned carefully.
Current Apps Used by Passengers
The new app will include features like booking passenger and platform tickets, and checking train status. Currently, passengers use several apps for different purposes, such as:
IRCTC Rail Connect: For booking, changing, and canceling train tickets.
IRCTC e-catering (Food on Track): For ordering food in trains.
Rail Madad: For complaints and suggestions.
UTS: For booking tickets without a seat.
National Train Inquiry System: For checking train status.
The IRCTC Rail Connect app is very popular, with over 10 crore downloads. It is currently the best platform for booking reserved train tickets.
IRCTC views the super app as a new source of income. Even private companies that sell train tickets use IRCTC for booking.
In the last financial year, IRCTC earned ₹4,270 crore, with a profit of ₹1,111 crore, with 30% of this income coming from ticket bookings.
The UTS app has also been downloaded over one crore times, mainly for buying platform tickets and season passes.
CRIS develops and maintains the software for many essential tasks in the railways.
