Train Tickets: Will charges rise? UPI bookings cross the 51% mark
IRCTC UPI News: Online train ticket bookings via UPI have risen to 51.22%, impacting IRCTC's earnings. Consequently, ticket booking charges could increase in the future.
IRCTC UPI Ticket Booking News: A hit to IRCTC's profits—if you use UPI to book train tickets, the charges levied on tickets might increase down the line. This is due to the rapid rise in ticket bookings via UPI. IRCTC data reveals that UPI users now account for more than half of all ticket bookings, which is affecting the company's revenue.
According to data from the first three months of the 2026-27 fiscal year, UPI's share of online ticket bookings has risen to 51.22%. A year ago, this figure stood at 48.72%. This means that out of every 100 tickets booked online, more than 51 are now booked using UPI.
IRCTC Earned ₹248 Crore
During these three months, IRCTC earned ₹248 crore in service fees from 13.27 crore tickets, averaging approximately ₹19 per ticket. Service fees range from ₹10 to ₹20 for UPI payments, whereas they range from ₹15 to ₹30 for payments made via cards or credit lines; thus, there is a disparity in fees between the two payment methods.
IRCTC Chairman and Managing Director Rahul Himalian acknowledged the rapid increase in UPI usage and its impact on the company's profits. Although the company has set different service fees for UPI and other payment methods, the high volume of UPI transactions has slowed the growth of service fee revenue.
Parliamentary Committee Suggestion
The Parliamentary Committee on Finance has also expressed concern regarding this matter. The committee noted that a 'zero MDR' system currently applies to UPI transactions. MDR refers to the charge levied on processing a payment. The committee has suggested imposing a fixed and capped MDR on high-value digital transactions to alleviate the cost burden associated with digital payments.
Currently, no new charges apply to booking train tickets via UPI. The proposal to levy an MDR applies specifically to high-value digital payments. Should the government decide on this in the future, it could impact the fees for booking tickets through UPI.
