Indian Railways has clarified that digital unreserved tickets booked through the RailOne app must be produced on the original app during ticket checks, and that screenshots, photographs, PDF copies, or tickets shared through WhatsApp or any other messaging platform will no longer be accepted.
The clarification followed an incident aboard the Korba-Visakhapatnam Link Express, where a passenger was fined after showing a WhatsApp screenshot of a ticket. On checking, railway officials found the ticket had been booked after the train had already left the boarding station and was not available on the passenger's registered device.
ALSO READ | No Signal? No Problem: BSNL's Rs 1.34 Lakh Phone Can Still Make Calls — Check Features
Ticket Valid Only On Registered Device
Under the updated guidelines, an unreserved ticket booked through the RailOne app is valid only on the same registered mobile phone used to book it. Passengers must also carry a valid photo identity card, which ticket-checking staff may ask to see. South East Central Railway, in a post on X, said showing a ticket received on WhatsApp is not enough, and that passengers need to be aware of the rules. The railway zone added that tickets received via WhatsApp, screenshots, or other means will not be treated as valid travel authorisation.
ALSO READ | 8th Pay Commission: Fitment Factor Likely In 1.9-2.1 Range, Says Expert, Cites Fiscal Constraints
The clarification is meant to prevent misuse of digital tickets through forwarding or sharing with other users. Passengers who cannot produce the ticket on their registered device, or establish their identity, may be treated as travelling without a valid ticket and could face penalties under railway rules.
Authorities have advised passengers to carry the phone used for booking throughout their journey, keep it charged, and verify all ticket details in advance. The revised rules apply only to digital unreserved tickets booked through the RailOne app and do not affect reserved tickets, where identity verification is already part of the checking process.
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
