Online Ticketing: Convenience at a Cost

The government explains that passengers booking tickets online via IRCTC pay more than those purchasing physically due to convenience and transaction charges. This additional cost is meant to cover the maintenance, upgradation, and expansion of the IRCTC's ticketing infrastructure.

Passengers opting for online ticket bookings through the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) incur higher costs compared to those purchasing tickets physically at counters. This is attributed to convenience fees and transaction charges, as outlined during a government session in the Rajya Sabha.

During the session, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw addressed concerns raised by Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut over IRCTC's pricing policies. Vaishnaw explained that the additional charges are essential to manage the expenses related to the maintenance, upgradation, and expansion of the IRCTC's ticketing infrastructure, in addition to bank transaction charges.

Vaishnaw highlighted the benefits of IRCTC's online booking system, considering over 80 percent of reserved tickets are now booked online, a convenience initiated to save passengers from visiting reservation counters and to cut down on travel time and costs.