Indian Railways Smart Card All You Need to Know

Indian Railways is one of the most preferred transport modes in India. Numerous people travel by it daily, resulting in a high rush at railway stations, ticket counters and trains. To reduce the passenger queue at ticket counters, Indian Railways launched smart cards through which rail passengers can take unreserved train tickets from ATVM (Automatic Ticket Vending Machines), screen-touch-based ticketing kiosks. 

The smart card is similar to a metro or ATM card. It consists of a microchip and is rechargeable. Rail Passengers must put the smart card at the instructed place on the passenger-operated kiosk and select the deboarding train point. The ticket fare amount automatically gets debited from the card, and the required ticket gets issued. It is an alternative to purchase a ticket for train travel. Another alternate method of getting tickets online is through UTS ticket booking. 

Also Read: Things You Should Know About UTS Ticket Booking

How to Get Indian Railways Smart Card 

ATVM is a great mode to purchase tickets for frequent travellers. You can get an Indian Railways Smart Card from SMS-enabled UTS counters at railway stations. At any suburban station, including Mumbai Suburban, and Kolkata Suburban, you can make smart card purchases and recharge as per requirements online or from ticket booking counters. To buy a smart card, you need to provide your forename, surname, address, email address, and contact number. The cost of the ATVM card is affordable, i.e., RS. 70, which includes RS. 50 refundable and RS. 20 recharge value. 

How to Recharge Smart Card Online 

• Visit the official website www.utsonmobile.indianrail.gov.in and log in. If you are new, register yourself using your mobile number, name and ID card. 
• After successful login, click on the “Smart Card Recharge” option from the menu.
• There will be a unique 9-digit number on your Indian Railway smart card. Enter the number on the website.
• Enter your recharge amount and pay it through any digital option such as Credit Cards, Debit Cards, UPI, Net Banking, etc.
• After successful payment, visit any ATVM kiosk within the same Railway zone to complete the recharge.
• Place the smart card on the reader of the ATVM machine, choose the smart card recharge option, and follow the instruction to complete the recharge process.

Features of ATVM Smart Card

• The front side of the Indian Railway Smart Card holds a 9-digit number. The first 2 digits of the card indicate Railway Zone. 
• The ATVM smart card expires after one year of your last recharge. 
• You can do your ATVM smart card recharge online. 
• Railway smart card recharge minimum value is RS. 20 or any considerable amount of 50, and the maximum recharge value is RS. 9500. 
• The maximum balance limit in your Indian railway smart card is RS. 9975. 
• The smart card cancellation charge is RS 30. 
• You can return your ATVM card within the prescribed time limits from Smart Card nominated counters (SMC). 
• Service Charges are applicable on ATVM recharge as per guidelines. 

ATVM Smart Card Benefits

The Indian Railway smart card, also known as the “Railway Ticketing Smart Card,” offers several benefits, including:

Easy Recharge:  Smart card eliminates the need to carry cash or paper tickets. You can recharge your ATVM smart card on the Utsonmobile webpage or Smart Card enabled counter. You can top balance at the ATVM card with a minimum price, such as RS. 20 or any multiple RS. 50. 

Faster Ticketing Process: With the smart card, the ticketing process gets fast as Rail passengers don’t need to book tickets in advance or stand in long queues.

Cashless Payment: The smart card enables cashless payment for railway tickets, a more secure and efficient way to pay for tickets.

Discounts: Smart card holders are eligible for discounts and special offers on railway tickets. Rail passengers can get 3% extra on every recharge on their smart card. 

Easy Tracking: The smart card records the journey history and makes it easy for the passenger to track their travel history.

Multiple Uses: With the ATVM smart card, you can book first class & second class, single, return, and platform Tickets. Moreover, you can also renew season tickets for adults & children.

How to Get a Train Ticket With ATVM Smart Card

• Visit the ATVM kiosk and place the smart card on the card reader. 
• Select your preferred language like you do at an ATM. Select the destination station and number of passengers (adult and child) on the touch-screen. 
• The ATVM will then issue the requisite ticket after deducting the amount of the travel fare from the balance available in the Smart Card.
• If the ticket doesn’t get issued from ATVM and money gets deducted from the smart card, amount will be re-topped. 
• In case of printing failure /errors, a Free EFT (Extra Fare Ticket) will be issued.

You can travel with an ATVM-generated unreserved ticket conveniently. It has a similar value as a counter ticket.

Should I Buy an Indian Railways Smart Card?

If you travel by train frequently, you must buy an Indian Railway smart card. It helps you get train tickets quickly at the station from a self-operated ticket kiosk. 

How can I use an Indian Railways Smart Card?

You can use an ATVM smart card to purchase daily train tickets, season tickets etc. It is helpful for rail passengers who travel by local trains frequently. Apart from that, RailMitra railway enquiry app is also crucial for rail passengers. Its AI tools help you plan your train journey conveniently. 

With the RailMitra, rail enquiry app, you can check trains between stations, PNR status, train schedule, train running status, train fare and more.

Moreover, you can also book food on train for a long train journey through the RailMitra.