IRCTC Launches New Ticket Booking Website: Check Key Features

Booking train tickets on IRCTC may soon become quicker and less frustrating.

The Railways has launched a beta version of its redesigned ticket booking website with features such as fewer captchas, a simplified booking process, seat availability across classes on one screen and saved passenger details.

The changes were suggested by students of Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT) during an interaction with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The IRCTC website was first launched in 2002 and currently handles an average of 14.5 lakh train ticket bookings every day.

"The students were made a part of the design process wherein they gave suggestions on improving the look and feel of the website. Based on the feedback received, the new website is ready for trial," PIB wrote in a statement.

What's new?

IRCTC has introduced four major improvements:

• Fewer interruptions: The new website removes unnecessary captchas, pop-ups, flashing graphics and other distracting elements.
• Seat availability: Users can now see seat availability across all travel classes on a single screen.
• Faster ticket booking: The number of steps needed to complete a booking has been reduced.
• Saved passenger details: Frequent travellers can save their details for easier repeated booking.

The beta version has been released to collect feedback from users. IRCTC said the suggestions received during this trial phase will be used to make further improvements before the final version is launched.

How to access the new website?

Users can access the new beta version of the IRCTC website in two ways:

Visit the beta website directly: Go to https://www.irctc.co.in/eticket/.

Through the existing IRCTC website: Open the current IRCTC homepage and click on the beta version link displayed there.

When will it be launched officially?

Along with the revamped website, the Railways will also integrate the website with a new Passenger Reservation Engine, which handles train ticket bookings for IRCTC and other railway booking apps. Once the integration is complete, the fully functional new IRCTC portal is expected to be rolled out in the coming weeks.