SMS & USSD Based Ticketing System – Non Internet based Mobile ticket booking for train journey
Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Railways
28-June-2013 17:30 IST
Mallikarjun Kharge Launches SMS Based Ticketing System
This New System will Improve Customer Convenience and Empower the Common Man: Kharge
The Minister of Railways Shri Mallikarjun
Kharge launched SMS based ticketing system at a function here today.
While addressing a gathering on the occasion, Shri Kharge said that this
user-friendly service which will be effective from today i.e 28th June
2013, is being introduced 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.
He said that since the mobile penetration in India has increased
rapidly and more than 80 per cent people have mobile phones, 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, the Minister added.
The Railway Minister further said that 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 Minister said.
Speaking on the occasion, Chairman, Railway Board, Shri Vinay Mittal
said that Indian Railways’ initiative of launching the non-internet
based ticketing through a mobile phone would further enhance the scope
and each of ticketing since it has huge potential to tap the power of
mobile phone. Shri Mittal said that this service will be improved
further with provision of more payment options, user-friendly interface
and value added services like alerts and updates.
Payment through mobiles is still in an evolving state and Commercial
Banks, RBI and National Payment Corporation of India are working on
providing a safe, secured and quick payment mechanism through mobile. As
the payment option mature and user gets accustomed to SMS booking, it
has the potential of overtaking bookings through internet as well as
counters, he added.
In his welcome address, the Chairman-cum-Managing Director, IRCTC,
Shri Rakesh Tondon said that this is, indeed, IRCTC’s successful effort
in making railway ticket booking even easier through SMS or menu based
USSD technology which works on all mobile phones. Through this service,
customer can not only book ticket but also can search for stations,
trains, availability, PNR enquiry, make cancellation etc, he added.
Launch of ticket booking service through mobile phones had been
announced in Railway Budget 2012-13. This initiative will go a long
way in customer convenience. With the passage of time, it is expected
that mobile booking will surpass reserved ticket booking by all other
modes like internet and counters. Mobile booking is not only convenient
but it also saves time and money. The user will have to get mobile
money account opened from his/her bank or mobile money providing
agencies as approved by the Reserve Bank of India.
The key features of ticket booking on mobile:
- Ticket can be booked within minutes;
- basic mobile phones are sufficient; no internet connection is required;
- The user will get ticket details on SMS instantly.
- SMS along with valid ID in original can be used for travel, no printout is required.
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
• You will receive Transaction ID alongwith other details.
• Make payment through sending an SMS, in the following syntax, to 139
PAY 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/- (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 for user authentication (first time only)
Booking Flow
- Send an SMS to 5676714 to book a ticket in the following syntax:
- BOOK,, , ,, ,,
- You will receive the Transaction number.
- Send the 2nd SMS, for payment, in the following syntax.
1. “PAY , MPAY, ” for authorizing payment through MPAY
or
2. “PAY ,,, ,” 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
