With Indian Railways’ Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) app and website, buying train tickets is now more flexible. Tickets for non-suburban travel (more than 200 km) can be purchased through UTS up to three days in advance (not including the trip day). As of April 12, 2024, South Eastern Railways said on their website, “Suburban tickets up to 200 km will be issued only the day of the journey.”
UTS stands for Unreserved Ticketing System. The app was introduced in 2014 by CRIS, a division of Indian Railways, and allows users to create or cancel unreserved train tickets, reserve seasonal seats, renew passes, and buy platform tickets. By taking this step, travellers can avoid standing in large lines to get Printed Card Tickets (PCTs) for short trips on local trains or platform visits.
Types of UTS Train Ticket Booking
- Normal Ticket Booking
- Quick Ticket Booking
- Platform Booking
- Season Ticket Booking/Renewal
- QR Booking
Steps To Buy Rail Tickets Using The UTS App
Step 1: Register And Install The UTS App
When it’s set up, launch the application and sign in. The app’s home page has choices including “Platform Ticket,” “QR Booking,” and “Quick Booking.” There would be a separate tab that stated ‘Normal Booking’. This tab will include the following two options: “Book & Travel (Paperless)” and “Book & Print (Paper).”
As the name suggests, purchasing your tickets entirely online is what the paperless option involves. When buying a paper ticket, you pay online and pick it up in person at the train station at a booking counter or special UTS kiosk.
Step 2: To Purchase A “Paperless” Ticket, Turn On The GPS on Your Mobile Device
Tickets printed on paper don’t require GPS. There are the same procedures to follow regardless of the reservation method you use. Select the station names to “Depart From” and “Go To”. Choose ‘Get Fare’ after that to go to the checkout page. By choosing the ‘Next Trains’ option, you may see the exact time of the next train to the selected location.
Step 3: The Last Step Is To Purchase The Ticket
The two primary options are online payments via a credit card, debit card, UPI, Internet banking, and the R Wallet. After selecting the “Payment Type” and “Class” for the ticket you wish to buy, click “Book Ticket”. Once your payment has been processed successfully, you will be sent to the payment page where your paperless ticket will be reserved. If you order your tickets using the “paper” option, you will need to go to the nearest UTS kiosk or railway booking counter to print the ticket you purchased using the UTS app.
