Best Train Ticket Booking Apps

Train ticket booking is now made easier with online booking systems. Gone are the days when you had to wait in queues to get your ticket or visit a travel agent. With online train ticket booking apps, you can now easily book them according to your convenience. 

You don’t have to depend on any single application. Rather, you can choose from a wide range of train booking apps to book your tickets. By using these train apps, you can plan your travel efficiently and make your journey as smooth as possible. 

Before we tell you about the different Indian railway ticket booking apps, let’s explore the benefits of these applications. 

Benefits of Railway Ticket Booking Online

• One of the biggest advantages of booking train tickets online is that you can check the availability of train tickets. In this way, you wouldn’t have to worry about getting your tickets by waiting in line for hours. 
• In online ticket booking apps, pay in advance to confirm your railway booking. This makes your journey hassle-free as you do not have to worry about the physical booking process. Moreover, if your ticket is not confirmed, then you get your ticket price refunded, ensuring an overall smooth process.
• Many times, these online apps provide various discounts on train booking. You can avail of these train booking offers to reduce your ticket prices. 
• Plus, with e ticket booking, you are also contributing towards reducing your environmental footprint by saving paper and controlling pollution. 

Best App for Booking Train Tickets

So, if you want to start your train journey with online booking, you have come to the right place. Check out the list below for some of the best train ticket booking apps:

• IRCTC

The IRCTC application is undoubtedly the best app for train ticket booking. Indian Railways launched this app to make ticket booking convenient for users. By using the IRCTC app, you can book your IRCTC train tickets as well as air tickets. You can even book your Tatkal tickets, premium Tatkal tickets and other quota tickets. 

The app also gives you the option to order meals and snacks on the train which is beneficial for long-distance travellers. Additionally, its Google Talk feature assists visually impaired people in the IRCTC ticket booking process. You can use UPI, Net Banking, Credit and Debit cards to book your tickets. Alternatively, you can also use the app’s e-wallet for hassle-free transactions. 

This rail app has a self-assigned PIN system that allows you to log in to the app without using your username and password every single time. This makes the process seamless and the app even supports biometric authentication. By using this app, you can check train routes, passenger name records, PNR confirmation probability and railway reservation status. 

The IRCTC app also features the Vikalp scheme option. It informs wait-listed passengers about IRCTC train seat availability and gives them the alternative to book a different train to the same destination. By using the Aadhar linking option, you can book 12 tickets in a month. 

Advantages of the IRCTC app:

• Quick and easy booking process
• Multiple payment options
• User-friendly interface

Disadvantages of the IRCTC app:

• Technical glitches and server issues
• Slow loading
• Limited availability

• MakeMyTrip

MakeMyTrip is one of the most popular railway ticket booking apps. You can use this authorised IRCTC partner for ticket booking and book hotels, Airbnbs, flights, buses and much more. You can book any train of your choice using this app and benefit from offers via digital payments. This best app for train booking provides you with train schedules and PNR status along with the live running status of the train. 

The rail booking process is quite easy in the Make My Trip Train app. You just have to select the destination and date you are travelling and the app will provide you with a list of all available trains. You can select any option of our choice, be it general or Tatkal tickets. Book your tickets easily with the digital models of payment available and check our ticket details in the “My Bookings” section.

Advantages of the MakeMyTrip app:

• Simple and clean UI
• Easy to use
• Multiple payment options
• Good customer support
• Free cancellation on train booking offers

Disadvantages of the MakeMyTrip app:

• Slow booking process
• Limited availability
• Technical glitches
• Payment errors

• Goibibo

Goibibo is a reputable train ticket app which you can use to book train and flight tickets, hotel rooms, cab and bus tickets. Goibibo partnered with IRCTC to bring train ticket booking services to their platform and make it easier for thousands of travellers. One of the biggest advantages of using this app is you can track the live location of the train, book Tatkal tickets, and check your PNR status. 

This app has a smart algorithm process which helps in seamless Indian railways booking of tickets. This app also provides you with a high booking confirmation rate for most trains. So, you can rest easy knowing that your tickets will be confirmed. Moreover, you can benefit from the value-added services of this app such as discounts on train tickets, cashback offers and loyalty programs. 

Advantages of the Goibibo app:

• Clean UI
• Easy to use
• Faster booking process 
• Sends updates through SMS and WhatsApp

Disadvantages of the Goibibo app:

• Too much information in the app which distracts the users

• Yatra

Yatra is a one-stop solution that caters to all your travel needs. This train ticket booking online app provides the option to book air and train tickets along with other transportation facilities and accommodations. 

You can also book holiday packages through this app. This app provides various options to check your PNR status and live tracking of your train. It also has an e-wallet feature which you can use for hassle-free online railway ticket booking.

Advantages of the Yatra app:

• Easy booking process
• Great customer service
• Lucrative discount offers

Disadvantages of the Yatra app:

• Technical glitches from time to time

• Trainman

The Trainman app also provides you the option where you can research and book all your travel-related tickets. This can be travel, transportation and accommodation. This best train booking app allows train ticket status checks, train locations and view train coach positions. 

This app provides you with various other features like a fare calculator and the option to order food while travelling. You can also set a reminder for your future travels, helping you to seamlessly book your desired tickets. 

Advantages of the Trainman app:

• Quick results for ticket search
• User-friendly app
• Discounts and offers
• Simple booking process 

Disadvantages of the Trainman app:

• Temporary loading issue

• Paytm

Paytm is exclusively used for mobile recharge and UPI transactions. However, you can also get your train ticket from this app which has zero payment gateway charges when you book directly via UPI. Paytm is an authorised IRCTC partner and in the app, you can check your train ticket availability, easily book them in a few clicks and also protect your travel plan with the Cancel Protect feature. 

This app is very easy to use and offers many discounts and cashback offers. If you face a booking failure, you can get your money back within 15 minutes of booking.

Advantages of the Paytm app:

• Easy to navigate
• Multiple payment options
• Customer service is available 24/7

Disadvantages of the Paytm app:

• Some users have found login into the app difficult

• Amazon

You can book a rail ticket online using the leading e-commerce brand in India. Amazon has also partnered with IRCTC and launched their train ticket online booking service through their app. You can find this service when you go to the Amazon Pay section. Here you can check the Indian Railways seat availability along with the PNR status of the confirmed ticket. 

In case of any cancellation or error in the transaction, you get instant refunds. Using this digital payment method, you can avail of different cashback offers which you can use later for shopping. 

Advantages of the Amazon app:

• Easy to use
• Seamless payment option

Disadvantages of the Amazon app:

• You can only book tickets via the Amazon app

• Ixigo

Ixigo is a popular app where you can fulfil all your travel needs. From booking travel tickets to hotel rooms and buses, you can use this app for multiple purposes. This IRCTC-authorised app also provides information about food, PNR status along the availability of seats on the train. The algorithm of this app analyses and offers the best tickets along with discounts and offers. 

With the concept of Train Jugaad, you can get confirmed tickets even when the seats are wait-listed. You can also view alternative options for train routes and even do last-minute Ixigo train booking. One of the best things about this app is that it has an inbuilt system that will guide you if you need a refund and deliver you the result within just a few hours. 

Advantages of the Ixigo app:

• Available in 8 regional languages
• Insightful knowledge base in case of failed transaction
• Free train ticket cancellation with Ixigo Assured

Disadvantages of the Ixigo app:

• Might be confusing for first-time users

• redRail

The redRail app is established under redBus and is used especially for booking train tickets. It offers a simple and convenient way to book your tickets. redRail is also authorised by IRCTC to deliver ticket booking services. By using this app, you can get a confirmed berth allotted to you on the train. You can also view details on train schedules, seat availability, as well as live status of the running train. 

Advantages of the redRail app:

• Available in 5 regional languages
• Fastest booking process
• User-friendly interface
• Easy navigation within the app

Disadvantages of the redRail app:

• Lack of visual hierarchy on the page
• First-time users can face difficulty navigating the app

• Cleartrip

If you want to book a train ticket with no redundant information, choosing the Cleartrip app is a wise choice. Register on the app and add your travel details. After this, you can view and compare different travel options available to you. Check the ratings and reviews of previous travellers to make your destination choice. 

Once you have decided on your destination, book our ticket in just a few clicks. Remember to make the most out of the offers and discounts that this app provides. 

Advantages of the Cleartrip app:

• Easy-to-understand UI
• Available on Android and iOS platforms
• Notifies any update about your rail tickets

Disadvantages of the Cleartrip app:

• Technical glitches

• Railyatri

Railyatri is a feasible mobile train ticket booking app which provides a wide range of features. This IRCTC-approved app helps you reserve your train tickets including Tatkal tickets. You also get the option to track real-time PNR status and order food from this app. 

Advantages of the Railyatri app:

• Available in 8 regional languages.
• Detailed information about train schedules

Disadvantages of the Railyatri app:

• Too many ad pop-ups

• ConfirmTkt

To book a train ticket online, you can use this feature-packed app. It has all the essential functionalities of a train booking app and much more. Using this app, you can reserve Tatkal tickets and benefit from immediate refund initiation upon cancellation. 

This Indian Railways ticket booking application enables you to verify the PNR status and also provides you with confirmation notifications. One of the major benefits of this app is that you can view many trains running on the same route. This gives you more flexibility to choose your preferred train time. 

This app also comes with a unique feature that predicts the chances of your waitlisted ticket getting confirmed. Additionally, this app provides you with relevant information regarding train delays, expected time of arrival and the train’s current location.

Advantages of the ConfirmTkt app:

• Free cancellation up to 4 hours of scheduled train departure time
• You can use IRCTC login credentials to book tickets
• User-friendly interface
• Notify you via SMS

Disadvantages of the ConfirmTkt app:

• Technical glitch
• Payment errors

• Where is My Train

This is one of the best apps if you use the train regularly. Where is My Train app works without the internet or GPS as it uses information from cell towers to find your location. You can use an online ticket booking train application to set a station alarm. This helps you be ready on time so that you don’t miss your train.

This app helps you check the availability of seats, and train timetables, and observe its real-time location. Although this app lacks official authorisation and relies on Google Pay for the ticket booking process. 

Advantages of the Where is My Train app:

• Can be used offline
• You can view the coach layout of your train, helping you find your seat easily
• You can also check the history of the train’s journey

Disadvantages of the Where is My Train app:

• Not officially authorised by IRCTC

How to Book Train Tickets Online?

Now that you know about the different train apps, your next question can be “How to book my train ticket?” The first step is to have a registered IRCTC account. With centralised credentials, you can execute IRCTC train ticket booking and use it for other apps to authenticate booking transactions. 

So, whenever you book an online ticket, it will redirect you to the IRCTC web page where you need to input your username and password to complete the process. Learn how you can open your IRCTC train booking account:

Step 1: Go to the IRCTC website and click on the Registration tab at the top of the screen.

Step 2: Next, you add your basic details, and personal details along with your address. On the basic detail page, add your username and check for its availability. Also add a strong password, preferred language, and a security question. 

Step 3: Add your name, date of birth, occupation, relationship status, mobile number and nationality on the personal details tab.

Step 4: Lastly, add your address to complete the entire process. 

Step 5: Once you have filled in all the details, enter the captcha and confirm the details. Click on Register and your account is ready to use. 

Wrapping Up

Say goodbye to the traditional train booking process and opt for online booking apps for a smooth experience. Apart from IRCTC, you have multiple options to book your tickets. Understand the benefits of these apps when it comes to booking feasibility, cancellation process along with the option of earring discounts and offers. Check out the different features of the apps mentioned in this blog and choose the ones that work best for you.