Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 2: Indian Railways has issued a fresh clarification on digital unreserved tickets, making it clear that screenshots of tickets are not accepted as valid travel authority and warning passengers that violations could lead to inconvenience and penalties during their journey.

With digital ticket bookings becoming increasingly popular among railway passengers, the national transporter has stressed the need to understand and follow the rules governing digital tickets.

According to Saurabh Jain, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (Sr DCM) of West Central Railway’s Kota Division, an unreserved ticket booked through the RailOne app is valid only on the specific mobile phone on which the app is registered and from which the ticket was booked.

A screenshot of a ticket booked by another person on their mobile phone and subsequently sent through WhatsApp or any other platform does not qualify as valid travel authority, Jain said.
“Passengers should book tickets themselves using their registered mobile phones and carry that same phone with them during the journey,” Jain said.

Ticket must be booked before boarding

The railway official also stressed that passengers must obtain a valid ticket before commencing their journey.

A passenger cannot board a train without a ticket and then generate an unreserved ticket on a mobile phone after noticing ticket-checking staff, he said.

Likewise, obtaining a ticket through another person’s mobile phone and carrying its screenshot does not comply with the prescribed digital ticketing requirements.

“To display the digital ticket, the mobile phone must be switched on and sufficiently charged,” the official said.

RailOne unreserved ticket rules

Railways has advised passengers using the RailOne app to keep the following rules in mind:

• Obtain a valid ticket before starting the journey.

• Book unreserved tickets through the RailOne app using only your registered mobile phone.

• Keep the ticket available on the same mobile phone used to book it.

• A ticket or screenshot received through WhatsApp is not valid travel authority.

• A ticket booked from a registered mobile phone is valid only for the holder of that mobile phone.

• Carry the relevant mobile phone during the journey and ensure it is switched on and sufficiently charged.

Minimum penalty doubled to Rs 500

Railways has also pointed to a significant increase in the minimum penalty for travelling without a proper ticket or with an irregular ticket.

The minimum penalty has been raised from Rs 250 to Rs 500 with effect from June 19, 2026.

The clarification serves as a reminder that passengers cannot rely on screenshots or copies of tickets shared by others. For RailOne’s digital unreserved ticketing system, the ticket, registered mobile phone and passenger must meet the prescribed requirements.