Booking a train ticket in India is no longer limited to the official IRCTC website or app. A significant share of passengers now use travel and payment platforms such as Paytm, MakeMyTrip, ixigo and ConfirmTkt.
According to IRCTC Chairman and Managing Director Rahul Himalian, around 28% of online railway ticket bookings come through the company's third-party business associates.
Nearly 89% of Railway Tickets Are Booked Online
India's railway ticketing system has become heavily digital. Himalian said around 89% of railway tickets are now booked online through IRCTC.
The IRCTC Rail Connect mobile app accounts for about 53% of bookings, while the IRCTC website contributes another 17%.
Government arrangements account for roughly 2%, with the remaining 28% coming through IRCTC's business associates.
These partners include platforms such as Paytm, MakeMyTrip, ixigo and ConfirmTkt.
The 28% Is Not Paytm's Individual Share
One important point is that the 28% figure does not mean Paytm alone handles 28% of online railway bookings.
The figure represents the combined share of IRCTC's third-party business associate network. IRCTC has not provided a platform-by-platform breakdown showing how much comes from Paytm, MakeMyTrip, ixigo or other individual companies.
IRCTC says around 18 lakh to 19 lakh railway tickets are booked every day, with roughly 14.88 lakh to 15 lakh of them being online bookings.
Why Third-Party Platforms Matter
The numbers highlight how travel booking has expanded beyond traditional railway platforms.
For many passengers, using an app they already have on their phone can be more convenient than switching between different services. Platforms offering train bookings can also combine railway tickets with flights, hotels, buses, payments and other travel services.
For IRCTC, this network gives it access to a much wider digital distribution system while allowing third-party platforms to serve their existing customers.
Paytm's Growing Consumer Activity
The disclosure also comes at a time when Paytm has reported stronger activity across its consumer business.
During the June quarter of FY27, Paytm's consumer UPI transaction value increased 45% year-on-year to ₹5.9 lakh crore, while its monthly transacting users increased to around 8 crore.
The company said its consumer UPI growth was running at around 2.2 times the industry's growth rate.
Railway bookings therefore represent another important area where Paytm can interact with a large and frequently active customer base.
IRCTC Wants to Go Beyond Train Tickets
IRCTC is also looking at a broader role in the travel industry.
Rahul Himalian said the company wants IRCTC to develop into a digital gateway for the wider travel journey, potentially covering areas such as accommodation, tourism, insurance, food, cabs and local mobility.
That would move IRCTC beyond being primarily a railway ticketing platform and towards becoming a broader travel-services ecosystem.
What This Means for Passengers
For passengers, the biggest takeaway is that online railway booking in India has become much more diversified.
While IRCTC's own app and website continue to handle the majority of online bookings, third-party platforms have established a sizeable role in the market.
The 28% figure also shows just how important partnerships have become in India's digital travel economy.
IRCTC, Indian Railways, Railway Tickets, Train Booking, Paytm, MakeMyTrip, ixigo, ConfirmTkt, Online Ticket Booking, Travel Tech, India Tech, Technology News
Comments
Post a Comment