Indian Railways is continuously working to improve passenger services and make ticket booking easier. Recently, Aadhaar was made mandatory for online ticket booking.
At the same time, several social media posts claimed that mobile tickets would no longer be valid. Is this really true? Let’s find out.
Will mobile tickets no longer be valid?
Indian Railways has clarified that passengers do not need to carry a printed copy of unreserved tickets. Tickets purchased through the UTS app, ATVM machines, or railway ticket counters are fully valid when shown on a mobile phone screen.
Fake Ticket Cases Raised Concerns
A recent fake ticket case on the Jaipur route caught the attention of railway officials. A group of students was traveling on a train, and each ticket showed a different passenger’s name. At first glance, even the railway checking staff was fooled, as the tickets appeared genuine with correct QR codes, journey details, and fares.
However, during a detailed check, the TTE found that the students had used AI tools to edit a single unreserved ticket and added multiple passenger names to it. In reality, seven people were traveling on just one ticket.
Railways Worried About AI-Based Fake Tickets
The misuse of AI has become a major concern for Indian Railways. Advanced technology now makes it easier to create, modify, and copy fake tickets, including QR codes. This has made it harder for ticket-checking staff to quickly identify fake tickets.
Printed Tickets Are Not Mandatory
Despite these concerns, the Railways has confirmed that printed copies of unreserved tickets are not mandatory. Passengers can continue showing their tickets on mobile phones without any issue.
Which Tickets Are Accepted on Mobile?
- Tickets booked via the UTS app
- Tickets purchased from ATVM machines
- Tickets bought at railway counters
All of these remain valid on mobile screens.
Rules for Unreserved Tickets on UTS App
Currently, the UTS app allows booking for up to four passengers, including children, on a single unreserved ticket.
To curb fake tickets, railway staff have been instructed to check at least 10 unreserved tickets out of every 100 passengers using QR code scanners.
