Railway Ticket Booking Rules Changed: Use This App Instead of IRCTC from March 1

Train travel in India is set to become more convenient from March 1. Indian Railways is rolling out a major update to its digital ticketing system, bringing multiple services together on a single platform. If you have been using the UTS app for booking general or platform tickets, you will now need to shift to a new app called RailOne.

This change aims to make the booking process faster, smoother, and more user friendly for millions of passengers who rely on mobile ticketing every day.

One Platform for All Ticketing Needs

From March 1, the old UTS app will be discontinued across the country. In its place, RailOne will function as a complete railway service platform. The app is designed to handle general tickets, platform tickets, reserved ticket bookings, and even live train status updates in one place.

Earlier, passengers often had to switch between different apps, including Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation for reserved ticket bookings. With RailOne, there will be no need to move between platforms. Everything from searching trains to checking status and booking tickets can be done within a single application.

This unified system is expected to save time and reduce confusion, especially for regular travellers and daily commuters.

Discount on Digital Payments

To promote cashless transactions, Railways is offering a discount of up to 3 percent on general tickets booked through RailOne using digital payment methods. This special benefit will remain valid until July 14, 2026.

Passengers can choose from multiple payment options such as UPI, debit card, credit card, net banking, and R Wallet. Those who already have a balance in R Wallet can continue using it in the new app. By encouraging digital payments, Railways aims to reduce cash handling and speed up the booking process.

How to Use the RailOne App

Using RailOne is simple. Users can either register for a new account or link their existing IRCTC login credentials. Once logged in, the home screen displays a Search Train option.

Enter the departure and destination stations in the From and To fields. You can also search directly by entering the train name or number. The app will show a list of available trains on that route. Select your preferred train and class, enter passenger details, and proceed to payment. After successful payment, the ticket will be instantly generated and stored within the app. It can be viewed, downloaded, or shared digitally.

Steps to Book a General Ticket

For unreserved travel, go to the Journey Planner section and select the Unreserved option. Enter your starting and destination stations manually, or enable GPS to allow the app to detect your current location automatically.

Next, choose the train category such as mail, express, or superfast, and specify the number of passengers. Confirm the details and complete the payment using UPI, card, or net banking. Once payment is successful, the ticket will appear in the My Tickets section. You can show it directly on your phone or download its PDF version if needed.

What This Means for Passengers

The introduction of RailOne reflects Indian Railways’ push toward a more integrated and digital friendly system. By combining multiple services into one app and offering incentives for digital payments, the Railways hopes to make ticket booking quicker and more convenient for everyone.

For passengers, the key takeaway is simple. From March 1, RailOne becomes the go to app for booking both reserved and general train tickets, checking train status, and managing travel plans, all in one place.