RailOne App: Indian Railways has introduced a major update aimed at making season-ticket booking more convenient for passengers. Following approval from the Railway Board, the shareable UTS season ticket facility on the RailOne app became available from September 2, 2026.
Earlier, passengers could use the app to purchase a season ticket or monthly pass only for themselves. With the latest facility, registered users can now book eligible season tickets for family members and friends without having to visit a railway ticket counter.
RailOne Shareable Season Ticket: Key Rules
Under the new facility, a registered RailOne user can purchase a season ticket for themselves and book tickets for up to five additional eligible passengers.
For Mumbai suburban trains, multiple season tickets can be booked in accordance with the existing suburban railway rules. However, a season ticket remains linked to the passenger whose name and photograph appear on it. Only that passenger can travel using the ticket.
The facility is therefore designed to make booking easier for families and other eligible passengers, rather than allowing one season ticket to be freely transferred between travellers.
When Will a Shareable Season Ticket Become Valid?
The validity period depends on whose name the ticket has been booked.
A season ticket booked in the primary user’s own name becomes valid from the date of booking after the required geo-fencing verification has been completed.
If the ticket is booked for another person, the secondary passenger’s season ticket becomes valid from the following day.
Passengers should therefore check the validity date carefully before beginning their journey.
RailOne Season Ticket Age Limit
There are specific age requirements for using the new facility.
- The registered primary user booking the ticket must be 18 years or older.
- The secondary passenger for whom the season ticket is booked must be at least 5 years old.
These age conditions apply when using the shareable UTS season-ticket facility.
What Must Passengers Show During Ticket Checking?
Passengers travelling with a shareable season ticket must be able to produce a valid version of the ticket during inspection.
They can present:
- A printed copy of the ticket
- A valid PDF version
- An authorised electronic ticket on their mobile phone
The ticket must clearly display the passenger’s photograph and required ticket information.
The passenger’s photograph is also digitally encoded into the ticket’s QR code, allowing railway staff to conduct an additional verification if necessary.
These Documents Will Not Be Accepted
Passengers should not assume that a payment confirmation or screenshot is sufficient for travel.
The following will not be treated as valid travel documents:
- Payment receipts or slips generated through the RailOne booking process
- A simple screenshot that does not show the complete ticket information
- An ordinary photocopy of a UTS paper ticket
- Any document that does not contain the passenger’s photograph and prescribed ticket details
Therefore, travellers should keep the complete and valid ticket readily available throughout their journey.
Two-Level Verification Through Photo and QR Code
Indian Railways has introduced a two-stage verification process for shareable season tickets.
During the initial check, railway ticket-checking staff will compare the photograph printed or displayed on the ticket with the person travelling.
If additional verification is required, the TTE can scan the ticket’s QR code using a Hand Held Terminal (HHT).
The information and digital photograph retrieved on the HHT will then be compared with the passenger’s identity and appearance.
This system is intended to prevent misuse and ensure that the season ticket is being used by the authorised passenger.
What If the QR Code Is Damaged?
The QR code plays a critical role in verifying a shareable season ticket.
If the QR code is damaged, altered, tampered with or becomes unreadable, railway staff may not be able to authenticate the ticket through the HHT system.
If the HHT is unable to digitally verify the ticket because of the QR-code issue, the ticket will be treated as invalid.
Passengers should therefore take care not to damage or modify the ticket or its QR code.
Railways Issues Instructions to Zones and Ticket-Checking Staff
Indian Railways has also issued instructions to ensure that the new ticket-checking procedure is implemented consistently across railway zones.
Checking staff are required to use the updated HHT checking application for verification instead of the older UTS checking app.
Railway zones have also been instructed to provide appropriate training to ticket-checking personnel regarding the new rules, including:
- Age eligibility
- Shareable season-ticket provisions
- Passenger photograph verification
- QR-code authentication
- HHT-based ticket checking
RailOne App Makes Family Season-Ticket Booking Easier
The introduction of shareable UTS season tickets is aimed at simplifying the booking process for regular railway passengers.
Instead of requiring every eligible family member or passenger to independently purchase a season ticket, a registered RailOne user can now book tickets for themselves as well as up to five other eligible people.
At the same time, the photo-based and QR-code verification system ensures that the facility cannot be used as a freely transferable ticket.
Passengers using the RailOne app should carefully follow the eligibility, validity and verification rules to avoid problems during ticket inspection.