Editing Rail transport in India (section)

==== Ticketing and fares ====
[[File:Railway ticket from Bangalore City junction to Pune junction.jpg|thumb|A standard printed Indian Railway ticket]]
In 1986, computerized ticketing and reservations were introduced before which ticketing was done manually.<ref name="IT"/> Self-printing ticket machines (SPTM) were introduced in 1988.<ref name="SF"/> Centralized computer reservation system was deployed in September 1996.<ref name="Hist"/> The ticketing network at stations is computerized with the exception of few stations. The Indian Railways website went online in February 2000 and online ticketing was introduced on 3 August 2002 through IRCTC.<ref name="IRCTC"/> Indian Railways now provides multiple channels for passengers to book tickets through [[website]], [[smartphone app]]s, [[SMS]], rail reservation counters at train stations, or through private ticket booking counters. Reserved tickets may be booked up to 120 days in advance and confirmed reservation tickets will show the passenger and fare details along with berth or seat number(s) allocated to them on the ticket.

In case of no confirmed reservation, a wait-list number is assigned and wait-listed tickets get confirmed if there are cancellations of already reserved tickets. [[Reservation against Cancellation|Reservation against cancellation tickets]] is an intermediate category between the waiting and confirmed lists in sleeper classes which allows a ticket holder to board the train and share a berth.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ndtvprofit.com/business/irctc-indian-railways-ticket-reservation-5-online-rules-to-know-about-waitlisted-tickets-1955796|title=Indian Railways Reservation Rules: 5 Things To Know About Waitlisted Tickets|date=30 May 2018|work=[[NDTV]]|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> Reserved tickets can be booked by passengers who want to travel at short notice at higher fares through the [[Tatkal scheme|Tatkal train ticket]], where no refund is applicable on cancellation.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/tatkal-ticket-booking-charges-timings-cancellation-and-more/articleshow/63095041.cms|title=Tatkal Ticket Booking: Charges, timings, cancellation and more|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=1 December 2023|date=2 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612105406/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/tatkal-ticket-booking-charges-timings-cancellation-and-more/articleshow/63095041.cms|archive-date=12 June 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> A valid proof for the purchase of ticket along with photo identification is required to board the train.<ref>{{cite report|url=https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/traffic_comm/Comm-Cir2K12/ID_Proof_AC_Class_CC_4_2012.pdf|title=Provision for carrying proof|publisher=[[Indian Railways]]|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> Unreserved tickets for short distance or unplanned travels may be purchased at stations or through UTS mobile app at any time before departure.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/buy-suburban-train-tickets-via-app/article33712431.ece|title=Buy suburban train tickets via app|date=1 February 2021|access-date=1 December 2023|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref> Holders of such tickets may only board the general or unreserved coaches. India has some of the lowest train fares in the world, and lower class passenger fares are subsidised.<ref>{{cite book|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r31MYIrISFMC&q=indian+rail&pg=PA184|title=India's Economic Reforms, 1991–2001|last=Joshi|first=V|author2=I. M. D. Little|date=17 October 1996|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-1982-9078-0|location=US|page=184|chapter=Industrial Policy and Factor Markets|access-date=25 June 2007}}</ref> Discounted fares are applicable for railway employees, [[senior citizen]]s (over age 60), the differently-abled, students, athletes, patients and those taking competitive examinations. Seats of lower class of accommodation are reserved for women or senior citizens in some trains.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/view_section.jsp?id=0,2,281,877|title=Concession Rules|access-date=25 June 2023|publisher=[[Indian Railways]]}}</ref>