IRCTC Rail Connect app wins National award for e-governance! In a bid to make train ticket booking easier, IRCTC had revamped its mobile app and relaunched it as “IRCTC Rail Connect” in 2017. The first e-ticketing Android app, the “IRCTC Connect” was launched in 2014. According to IRCTC, the new IRCTC Rail Connect app has been downloaded by more than 3 crore users and since January 2017, as many as 14 crore bookings have been made from it till date. Recognising the “passenger-friendly” features of the IRCTC Rail Connect App, the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances has awarded the e-ticketing arm. The award has been given to IRCTC for “excellence in government process re-engineering for digital transformation”.

The IRCTC Rail Connect app is linked to the IRCTC next-generation e-ticketing system which was launched in 2014. The new IRCTC e-ticketing system helped enhance the booking capacity from 2,000 tickets per minute to 20,000 tickets per minute. IRCTC claims that the new IRCTC Rail Connect App has an average of 45 lakh (approximately) logins on a daily basis. IRCTC website’s tickets are now synchronized with IRCTC Rail Connect App as well. We take a look at the top 10 features of the IRCTC Rail Connect App.

1. Advanced security features of self-assigned PIN to login without entering username and password on each login.

2. Current reservation facility, boarding point change facility.

3. Supports Ladies, senior citizen, divyangjan, tatkal & premium-tatkal quota booking.

4. Users can view, cancel or file TDR on mobile app for e-tickets booked through official website irctc.co.in and vice-versa.

5. Integrated with IRCTC e-Wallet, easy refund tracking using mobile app. Allows hassle free cashless online transactions using UPI, BHIM, wallets, credit/debit cards and net banking facility.

6. Check probability of confirmation for waiting list tickets before and after booking; flexible with journey date option is available.

7. Aadhaar Authentication can be done directly from mobile app to avail extended ticket booking limit for authenticated users.

8. PNR enquiry facility for all type of tickets; view status of e-tickets booked through any platform including website and B2C platforms.

9. Facility to add passengers from Master passenger list. Managing master passenger list with Aadhaar authenticated passengers.

10. Users can move back and forth between pages until ticket is generated for updating preferences at any stage.

The IRCTC Rail Connect App also supports screen reader like Talk Back to assist visually impaired to book rail e-tickets. The IRCTC Rail Connect App can be downloaded from Google Playstore but is currently not available for iOS users.