To attract more travelers and compete with budget airlines, Indian Railways is introducing a loyalty program for frequent passengers.
Under this program, travelers will earn reward points (RailPoints) for every kilometer they travel.
These points can be redeemed for food, ticket fares, upgrades, and more.
The program aims to make train travel more comfortable with special amenities like free tea, snacks, food, priority lower berths, and access to luxury lounges on certain trains.
How the Reward Points Work
According to railway officials, the IRCTC portal will function like a digital wallet.
Points earned will be credited to passengers’ Aadhaar-linked accounts, making the system secure and fraud-free.
Key features include:
Points can be redeemed like cash for tickets, meals, or upgrades.
Free access to luxury lounges at stations.
E-catering meals ordered on the train can be paid for using points.
Ticket upgrades: e.g., from third AC to second AC, or second AC to first AC.
The program is expected to pilot on premium trains like Vande Bharat and Tejas Express in April, with plans to expand across all mail and express trains if successful.
A Strategic Move Against Budget Airlines
This loyalty program comes as a strategic effort to counter budget airlines and luxury bus travel, which have been attracting short-haul travelers.
Railways may even increase points during off-season bookings to fill empty seats, ensuring passengers have more reasons to choose trains over flights or buses.
With coverage across 7,000 stations, trains covering 3,500 km, and 30 million daily passengers, this is set to become the world’s largest railway loyalty program.
