Indian Railways has announced a new 3% discount on unreserved train tickets booked through the RailOne mobile app, offering a small but meaningful saving for millions of daily commuters and occasional travellers. The move is part of efforts to promote digital ticketing and make travel more affordable for passengers who rely on unreserved travel.
What the Discount Means
Under the new scheme, passengers purchasing unreserved tickets — the tickets used for general class travel without prior seat reservation — will get a 3% price reduction when they book through the RailOne app. This discount applies only to digital purchases made within the app and is designed to encourage travellers to adopt digital ticketing methods.
The discount doesn’t apply to reserved seats, special trains, or premium services. It strictly covers unreserved travel, which is widely used by daily commuters, short-distance travellers, and millions of workers who depend on affordable rail transport.
How to Get the Discount
To avail the 3% reduction, travellers need to:
- Download the RailOne app on their smartphone
- Register with their mobile number if not already registered
- Select the unreserved ticket booking option
- Choose the train, boarding station, destination, and travel date
- Complete payment digitally
Once the booking is confirmed, the discount is automatically applied at the payment stage, and the app issues a digital ticket that passengers can show during ticket inspection.
Why This Is Useful for Commuters
Unreserved travel remains one of the most affordable ways to travel by train in India, especially for short distances and daily routes. Even a 3% discount adds up when multiplied by hundreds of journeys over time. For regular commuters who board local and short-haul trains, this can mean real savings over a month or year.
Digital tickets also reduce queues at stations, ease rush-hour congestion, and cut down time spent buying tickets at counters or reservation windows.
Benefits of Promoting Digital Ticketing
The RailOne discount ties in with broader goals of modernising rail travel:
- Promotes cashless payments and reduces handling of paper tickets
- Speeds up ticket purchases, especially during peak hours
- Helps railways track passenger volumes and patterns for better planning
- Reduces crowding at reservation counters
By giving a financial incentive — even a modest one — Indian Railways aims to shift travellers toward mobile-based ticketing.
Conclusion
The introduction of a 3% discount on unreserved tickets via the RailOne app is a passenger-friendly initiative that nudges commuters toward digital ticketing. While modest in percentage, the savings are meaningful for frequent travellers and help India’s rail network continue its digital transition, improve convenience, and make travel slightly more affordable for millions of passengers.
