IRCTC's new website to launch by July 15; train ticket booking to become superfast—here’s what’s special about the new portal..

On Thursday, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that Indian Railways' new IRCTC website would be launched on July 15. Vaishnaw was attending an event at the Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT) in Jaipur, where a student apprised him of the issues faced with the current IRCTC website. Upon hearing the student's concerns, he immediately contacted an official, noting the students' demand for a new IRCTC website. Following the discussion, the Railway Minister announced that the new website would be operational by July 15, promising a superior ticket-booking experience for millions of rail passengers. Let us look at the features the public can expect from the new IRCTC website:

According to a report by *The Indian Express*, a senior railway official stated that the new IRCTC website will be equipped with modern technology. Special emphasis has been placed on speed, enhanced features, and ease of use to ensure passengers face no difficulties while booking tickets.

**Faster Ticket Booking**

Indian Railways is also upgrading its legacy Passenger Reservation System (PRS), which has been in use for nearly 40 years. The new PRS system is expected to be implemented in August. Railways officials state that this will make the entire ticket-booking process significantly faster than before.

Currently, the existing system can book approximately 32,000 tickets per minute. With the introduction of the new system, this capacity will increase to over 1.5 lakh tickets per minute—effectively a fivefold increase in booking capacity.

**Instant Access to Train Information**

Additionally, the capacity to handle ticket-related inquiries is expected to rise from 4 lakh to over 40 lakh per minute. While the current system handles about 4 lakh inquiries per minute, the new system could manage more than 40 lakh, enabling passengers to access train information much more quickly.

**New Features**

The new PRS system may offer passengers the option to select their preferred seats. Furthermore, a fare calendar feature will also be provided. This will enable passengers to plan their journeys better by viewing fares for different dates.

The Railways have also indicated that facilities for persons with disabilities, students, and patients could be integrated into this platform. Additionally, the website will feature a multilingual interface and be user-friendly.

**AI-powered assistance via the RailOne app**

Indian Railways has already launched an app called RailOne. This app uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to predict the likelihood of a waitlisted ticket getting confirmed, helping passengers make informed decisions while booking tickets.

In essence, the launch of the new IRCTC website promises to make the rail travel experience even more convenient and seamless for passengers.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from Amar Ujala. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.