RailOne App Users to Get 3% Benefit on Unreserved Tickets via Digital Payments
Reported by Amit Singh
Pune/New Delhi, 30th December 2025: Indian Railways has extended a 3 per cent benefit to passengers booking unreserved tickets through the RailOne mobile application when payments are made using digital modes. The initiative applies to bookings made on the RailOne app using all digital payment options, while the existing cashback system continues for R-wallet transactions.
Officials said the measure is part of ongoing efforts to promote digital ticketing for unreserved travel, which caters to a large number of daily commuters across suburban and non-suburban sections.
According to official data, passenger movement in general and unreserved coaches has recorded a consistent rise over the past five years, indicating strong growth after the Covid-19 period. In 2020–21, a year impacted by pandemic restrictions, Indian Railways carried 99 crore passengers in general and unreserved coaches. This number increased to 275 crore in 2021–22. With the return of regular train services, passenger figures rose sharply to 553 crore in 2022–23, followed by 609 crore in 2023–24. In 2024–25, general and unreserved coach travel further increased to 651 crore passengers.
Confirming the rollout, Hemant Kumar Behera, Divisional Commercial Manager and Public Relations Officer, said, “The provision has been introduced to encourage passengers to use digital payment modes while booking unreserved tickets through the RailOne app, ensuring a smoother and more convenient booking experience.”
Passengers in Pune said the move would benefit regular commuters who rely heavily on unreserved services. “I travel frequently in unreserved coaches, and using the app saves time at ticket counters. The additional benefit makes digital booking more useful,” said a passenger from Pune. Another commuter added, “For daily travel, even a small saving matters. Digital booking also avoids long queues during peak hours.”
Unreserved and general coach travel forms a substantial portion of passenger traffic on Indian Railways, particularly for short-distance and suburban journeys, with officials noting a steady shift towards app-based ticketing platforms.
