Indian Railways Update: IRCTC is continuously exploring innovative technologies to enhance digital services for passengers traveling on Indian Railways. IRCTC’s new website has evolved into a comprehensive travel platform, moving beyond being just a basic train ticket booking site.
Previously, passengers had to navigate through various websites and third-party applications to find accommodation, food options, or transportation for their onward journey after booking a ticket. However, IRCTC’s new Integrated Dashboard has simplified and centralized this entire process.
On this single dashboard, passengers can access a complete journey solution with various premium features seamlessly integrated with train ticket booking. The features incorporated into IRCTC’s upgraded platform are outlined below.
– Food on Track: Passengers can now order their preferred food from popular restaurants such as Domino’s, Haldiram’s, Subway, etc., directly to their seat by entering their train and PNR number.
– Direct booking of hotels and retiring rooms: Travelers can conveniently reserve official railway retiring rooms or top hotels in the city from the provided link during ticket booking.
– Last-mile connectivity: In case of unavailability of confirmed train tickets during peak seasons, passengers can quickly search for connecting buses or flights through IRCTC Air from the dashboard.
Tips for optimizing the use of these services on the new website
To maximize the benefits of the new IRCTC portal and enhance your travel experience, consider adopting these practical tips to save money and time.
– Combined Travel Planning: Immediately after booking your train ticket, click on the “Stay” option on the dashboard to receive precise check-in and check-out times aligned with your train schedule, thereby saving costs.
– Pre-order meals and secure payments: To avoid last-minute hassles, pre-order your meals online at least two hours before your journey. If concerned about network issues on the train affecting digital payments, choose cash on delivery (COD) to pay in cash upon food delivery.