Indian Railways Announces 3% Discount on Unreserved Tickets
If you’ve ever stood at a general ticket counter during peak hours, you already know the scene. People check the clock more than the queue. Someone asked loudly whether the train had been delayed. Someone else insisted they were here first. Indian Railways wants fewer passengers doing that.
In line with this Indian Railways has announced a big discount for passengers in the new year. Starting January 14, 2026, passengers who book unreserved tickets using the RailOne app will receive a 3 per cent discount on the ticket fare. The offer will stay in place for six months, ending on July 14, 2026.
A Letter, Not a Press Conference
This change didn’t come with a big announcement. It came through a letter dated December 30, 2025, sent by the Railway Ministry to the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS).
The letter asks CRIS to make software-level changes so that the discount is applied automatically when a passenger books an unreserved ticket on RailOne and pays digitally.
There’s another line in the letter that matters. CRIS has been asked to submit feedback by May 2026. Which means the Railways is watching closely. This is being tested, not rolled out permanently.
What Was Happening Until Now
Until this point, the system was narrow. If you booked an unreserved ticket on RailOne and paid through R-Wallet, you received 3 per cent cashback. If you paid through UPI or a card, you didn’t.
That distinction quietly discouraged a lot of users. Many passengers didn’t want to maintain a separate wallet balance just to book a ₹50 or ₹80 ticket.
From January 14, Indian Railways has made that barrier go away. Now, any digital payment mode: UPI, debit card, credit card or net banking will trigger a direct 3 per cent discount at the time of booking.
Railway officials have been clear on one thing: This benefit exists only on the RailOne app. Not elsewhere.
You should check the seat availability before booking any ticket. RailMitra provides an easy and smooth way to check this.
Why R-Wallet Users Still Win
If you’re already using an R-Wallet, nothing is taken away. The Railways has confirmed that the existing 3 per cent cashback on R-Wallet payments will continue. Which means R-Wallet users get both.
In effect:
- 3 per cent is discounted instantly
- another 3 per cent comes back as cashback
That adds up to 6 per cent, even on unreserved tickets. It’s a small advantage, but for regular travellers, those small advantages tend to decide habits.
This Is About Counters, Not Apps
The problem the Railways is trying to solve isn’t technology. It is the counters. Unreserved ticket windows are still among the most crowded places at stations, especially in the morning and evening. Even stations with ATVMs see queues, because people default to what they know.
Railway staff have said this repeatedly over the years: most people in these queues already use smartphones and UPI. They’re not offline users. They’re just used to the counter. The discount is meant to interrupt that routine.
If you want to check train timings you can easily do so with train schedule service at RailMitra.
Three Percent Isn’t the Real Saving
On paper, a 3 per cent discount doesn’t look impressive. But unreserved travel isn’t occasional. It’s repetitive. Daily. Sometimes twice a day.
For a commuter booking tickets five days a week, the saving doesn’t come from one ticket. It comes from not paying full fare again and again, and from not losing time in line. That’s what the Indian Railways is betting on.
Where RailOne Fits Into All This
RailOne isn’t new, but the Railways is clearly pushing it harder now. The app is meant to act as a single access point for tickets, information, services without forcing passengers to jump between multiple railway apps.
Once logged in, users don’t have to repeat the process every time. That’s the pitch. By attaching actual fare benefits to RailOne, the Railways is doing what policy statements alone couldn’t: giving people a reason to switch.
The Fine Print Still Matters
A few things are clear:
- The discount applies only to unreserved tickets
- It is valid only between January 14 and July 14, 2026
- It works only on the RailOne app
- Reserved tickets are not included
After July, the scheme will be reviewed. It could continue. The scheme could change. It could disappear quietly. For now, it exists.
Before boarding any train, it is important that you check live train running status. When the train gets delayed passengers may have to suffer waiting and discomfort. RailMitra live train status removes all such worries and waiting.
What Passengers Will Actually Do
Some will download the app immediately. Some won’t bother until they’re stuck in a long queue again. That’s usually how it goes. But if even a fraction of regular general ticket passengers move to mobile booking, stations will feel it. Counters always do.
This isn’t a headline-grabbing reform. It’s a nudge. And Indian Railways, more than anything else, runs on nudges.