Ticket Booking Agents by Indian Railway
Indian Railways have authorized a different kind of ticketing agents, with a view to facilitating passengers in getting railway tickets easily, following are the details of Ticket Booking Agents by Indian Railway for helping passengers to book tickets.
- Rail Travellers’ Service Agents (RTSAs) to book tickets online (both I and E-tickets) through the website of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).
- Yatri Ticket Suvidha Kendra (YTSK) licensee to issue reserved as well as unreserved tickets through computerised Passenger Reservation System (PRS)-cum-Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) terminals provided in their offices.
- E-ticketing Agents authorized by IRCTC to book e-tickets through the website of IRCTC.
- Jan Sadharan Ticket Booking Sewaks (JTBS) have been engaged to issue unreserved tickets in various parts of important cities.
- Station Ticket Booking Agent (STBA) has been engaged to issue unreserved tickets from station premises of certain ‘E’ category stations.
- Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVM) and Cash-Coin AND Smart Card operated Versatile Ticket Vending Machines have been installed to facilitate the easy booking of unreserved tickets through cash/coin/smart card. Currency Operated Automatic Ticket Vending Machine (CoVTM) to facilitate the purchase of unreserved journey tickets provided in Delhi and Mumbai.
- Mobile Ticketing
Following are the details
Yatri Ticket Suvidha Kendras (YTSK)
With a view to expanding the facilities for issue of tickets (both reserved and unreserved), Ministry of Railways have allowed public private partnership in establishment and operation of computerised Passenger Reservation System(PRS)-cum Unreserved Ticketing System(UTS) terminals at centres which are called Yatri Ticket Suvidha Kendra (YTSK). As per this scheme, all the authorized ticketing agents, who have worked for at least five years in providing Railway ticketing (reserved/ unreserved) services for passengers of Indian Railways are eligible to become YTSK licensee.
A large number of safeguards have been built in the YTSK counters for general as well as “Tatkal” booking, taking adequate financial security, not allowing booking of concessional tickets (except senior citizens tickets), non-availability of facility of block booking etc. restricted facility for cancellation of tickets etc. Moreover, as the control of the booking windows is with Indian Railways, the connection can be disabled immediately, if any malpractice comes to notice. Ministry of Railways also instructed Yatri Ticket Suvidha Kendras (YTSKs) to install POS machines and accept payments through all banks debit/credit cards for issuing both reserved and unreserved tickets. They are encouraged to accept payments through other modes also like UPI, USSD, e-wallet, Aadhar enabled payments system.
Rail Travelers’ Service Agents (RTSA’s)
IRCTC service charges for I-tickets booked by RTSA’s shall be the same as for other customers. IRCTC service charges for RTSA’s shall be as follows:
- e-tickets booked by the RTSA’s
- IRCTC levies a service charge of Rs.10/- per e-ticket in case of sleeper class(SL) and Second sitting(2S)
- Rs.20/-per e-ticket in case of all other classes(1AC,2AC,3AC, CC, 3E,FC) irrespective of the number of passengers booked on an e-ticket
- RTSA’s shall realize the following amounts from passengers in addition to IRCTC’s service charge:
- In the case of Second / Sleeper Class: Rs. 10/- per ticket.
- In case of other than Sleeper Class: Rs. 20/- per ticket.
Jan Sadharan Ticket Booking Sewaks (JTBS)
JTBS or Jan Sadharan Ticket Booking Seva is an outsourcing scheme of the Indian Railways. It allows entrepreneurs to set up ticket sale counters near railway stations and sell unreserved railway tickets. The selected Jansadharan Ticket Booking Sewaks (operators) sell unreserved rail tickets through computerised UTS (Unreserved Ticketing System) terminals.
JTBS was conceptualised and introduced with a view to improve dispensation of unreserved tickets in city areas other than the railway stations and provide jobs. These would be beneficial for passengers as they could get the general tickets in the market instead of going to the station.
As a customer friendly measure and in order to make Unreserved Tickets easily available, Jan Sadharan Ticket Booking Sewak (JTBS) was launched by Indian Railways.
The salient features of the Scheme: –
- JTBS can issue all Unreserved Tickets except concessional tickets.
- JTBS will collect 1/- per passenger as service charge from the passengers.
- JTBS will be authorized to issue cash tickets only.
- JTBS will issue concessional tickets to Sr.Citizens only.
- No cancellation/refund of the ticket by JTBS is permitted.
- JTBS shall not be allowed to sell platform tickets.
- JTBS operators may be allowed to renew season tickets. Each season ticket is to be treated as single ticket/single passenger for the purpose of levy of service charge.
- Refund of tickets
- Refund of a ticket issued by JTBS will be done as per refund rules in force. The genuineness of the ticket issued by JTBS will be checked by station staff before making a refund. JTBS will not be authorized to make any refund.
- Appointment of JTBS
- Appointment of JTBS will not confer any right on the person for employment on Railways. The appointment is purely contractual in nature and no facilities viz. absorption in Railway Service, Regularization of service, bonus, Railway pass facility etc shall accrue the JTBS.
- Termination of contract
- Each side can terminate the contract assigning reasons by giving one-month notice binding genuine reasons from the JTBS.
- Arbitration
- DRM will be the final authority for resolving any disputes between the JTBS and Railway Administration. The appeal will lie to AGM in Headquarters.
Mobile ticketing
- Introduction of paperless unreserved ticket booking through mobile phone as a part of “Operation 5 Minutes”.
- Facility for booking unreserved ticket including platforms tickets and Season Tickets through mobile phone.
- Facility for booking unreserved ticket through mobile phone.
- Facility for online concessional ticket booking for Physically Challenged persons on the authority of Photo Identity Card issued by the Railways.
- Online registration of booking of special trains/ coaches on Full Tariff Rates introduced.
- Facility of SMS alerts through mobile phones in case of cancellation of trains.
- Platform ticket on Mobile started
Station Ticket Booking Agent (STBA)
These agents will get a commission on the sale of tickets made by them. The selected STBAs will sell unreserved tickets through computerized Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) of Indian Railways. The STBA operator will be allowed to sell all types of non-concessional unreserved tickets through UTS, including platform tickets and season tickets, on cash basis only. Renewal of season tickets and issue of senior citizen concession tickets will also be permitted.