Mumbai local train season pass can now be shared via RailOne app

Making tickets for daily Mumbai local train commuters has become easier. After approval from the Centre for Railway Information Systems and the Railway Board, a new feature was launched on the RailOne app from September 2, under which a season ticket, or pass, can now be shared as well.

The biggest benefit of this new facility is that a passenger can now get a pass made not just for themselves, but also for family members or up to five other people. However, to ensure no one faces trouble while travelling, the railways have also put some strict rules in place alongside this.

Under the new rules, a pass made on the RailOne app must be kept either in PDF format or as a printed paper copy. The condition is that the pass must carry a clear photo of the passenger concerned and a scannable QR code. Passengers must also keep in mind that just the invoice shown on the app, a booking receipt, or the old-style UTS paper pass will not be valid for travel.

Clear rules have also been laid down regarding the age limit for getting a pass made. A passenger getting a pass for themselves must be at least 18 years old, while the minimum age for other family members for whom a pass is being made has been fixed at 5 years. The validity of a pass made for oneself begins on the day of booking itself, after geo-fencing verification. However, the validity of passes made for others will begin from the day after booking. The multi-ticket policy exemption already in place on Mumbai's suburban railway will continue as before.

To make ticket checking more robust, the railways have given all ticket-checking staff, station staff and squad teams an updated version of the handheld terminal (HHT) device. During travel, ticket examiners will first verify directly by matching the passenger's face with the photo, and if needed, will also confirm by scanning the QR code with the device.

Passengers will need to take special care in this regard. If the QR code on a pass is blurred, torn, tampered with, or unreadable for any reason, the authenticity of the pass cannot be proved. In such a case, the passenger concerned will be counted in the category of a passenger without a valid ticket, and a legal fine can be imposed as per railway rules. The railways have therefore appealed to passengers to keep their pass, whether digital or printed, in a completely clean and correct condition while travelling.