Indian Railways Clarifies Digital Ticket Rules: Screenshots, PDFs and WhatsApp Copies Invalid for Unreserved Travel
Indian Railways Clarifies Digital Ticket Rules: Screenshots, PDFs and WhatsApp Copies Invalid for Unreserved Travel
Indian Railways has clarified that passengers travelling with digital unreserved tickets booked through the Rail One app must produce the original ticket within the app during ticket verification. Screenshots, photographs, PDF copies, or tickets shared via WhatsApp or any other messaging platform will no longer be accepted.
The clarification follows a recent incident aboard the Korba–Visakhapatnam Link Express, where a passenger was penalised after presenting a WhatsApp screenshot of a ticket. During verification, railway officials found that the ticket had been booked after the train had departed from the boarding station and was not available on the passenger’s registered mobile device.
Under the updated guidelines, passengers must display the original digital ticket in the Rail One app using the same mobile phone and registered mobile number that was used to book the ticket. Failure to produce the original ticket during inspection may result in penalties.
Indian Railways has also reiterated that digital unreserved tickets must be booked before the train leaves the boarding station. Any ticket generated after the train’s departure will be treated as invalid, even if it appears in the app.
Passengers are advised to carry the phone used for booking throughout the journey, ensure it has sufficient battery for ticket verification, and verify all ticket details before travelling. Railway authorities have also urged passengers not to rely on screenshots or forwarded copies of digital tickets.
The revised rules apply only to digital unreserved tickets booked through the Rail One app. They do not affect reserved tickets, as identity verification for reserved travel is already conducted during ticket checking.
