<p>Bengaluru: More than 85 per cent of reserved tickets in the South Western Railway (SWR) are now booked online, according to the latest data. </p><p>In May 2025, 85.25 per cent of the reserved tickets in the SWR jurisdiction were booked through the e-ticketing system, while only 14.75 per cent were booked at railway counters. </p><p>For unreserved ticket bookings, 68.44 per cent of passengers still used the traditional ticket counters, whereas 26.36 per cent used Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs).</p> .<p>In addition, 5.2% of the unreserved tickets were booked via the UTS mobile app. </p><p>The SWR said it had implemented a range of digital initiatives to streamline services for both passengers and railway staff. </p><p>Fast and free Wi-Fi with high-speed internet connectivity is now available at all stations. To promote cashless transactions, facilities for BHIM, RuPay debit cards and e-wallet payments have been enabled at ticket counters, complemented by the installation of 145 Point of Sale (POS) machines. QR code-based smart ID cards have been introduced for vendors at all major and minor stations, it added. </p> .<p>The SWR has also installed smart, IoT-based luggage lockers — Digital Luggage (cloakroom) Lockers or Digilockers — at all stations. Further, 1,108 TTEs are have been equipped with Hand Held Terminals (HHTs) for real-time ticket checking and data access. </p><p>The SWR said it had also fully implemented the e-office system in all its administrative offices and introduced e-TRR for freight loading to support paperless transactions. </p><p>The SWR has launched e-auctions, e-tenders platform to simplify and speed up contractual processes. The SWR was the first railway zone in South India to implement the Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) mobile app in a regional language (Kannada) on January 18, 2023. </p><p>The SWR was also the first railway zone to introduce mobile ticketing across its entire network. Five new Yatri Ticketing Suvidha Kendras (YTSKs) were commissioned in 2024-25, increasing the total to 24 by March 2025. Likewise, 20 new Station Ticket Booking Agents (STBAs) were added during the same period, bringing the total to 131, it said. </p> .<p>A total of 107 Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs), first introduced in October 2015 at Bengaluru, Hubballi and Mysuru stations, are currently functional across the zone. </p><p>A 100 per cent online Coaching E-Balance Sheet system, along with integrated UTS and PRS e-Balance Sheet and E-CR Note systems, has been implemented at all UTS and PRS locations. QR codes with approved menus and tariffs have been introduced in static units and pantry cars, the zone said. </p> .<p>The SWR has also achieved full digitisation of freight revenue collection through e-payment and Online Payment Systems. The Rail Bijli Samadhan app has been launched across the zone to streamline energy billing and grievance redress. </p><p>Railway passengers can now conveniently lodge complaints and grievances through the Rail Madad mobile app. </p><p>The SWR's Hubballi division has introduced 'Margadarshak', a digital map and navigation system at the Hubballi railway station. </p>
<p>Bengaluru: More than 85 per cent of reserved tickets in the South Western Railway (SWR) are now booked online, according to the latest data. </p><p>In May 2025, 85.25 per cent of the reserved tickets in the SWR jurisdiction were booked through the e-ticketing system, while only 14.75 per cent were booked at railway counters. </p><p>For unreserved ticket bookings, 68.44 per cent of passengers still used the traditional ticket counters, whereas 26.36 per cent used Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs).</p> .<p>In addition, 5.2% of the unreserved tickets were booked via the UTS mobile app. </p><p>The SWR said it had implemented a range of digital initiatives to streamline services for both passengers and railway staff. </p><p>Fast and free Wi-Fi with high-speed internet connectivity is now available at all stations. To promote cashless transactions, facilities for BHIM, RuPay debit cards and e-wallet payments have been enabled at ticket counters, complemented by the installation of 145 Point of Sale (POS) machines. QR code-based smart ID cards have been introduced for vendors at all major and minor stations, it added. </p> .<p>The SWR has also installed smart, IoT-based luggage lockers — Digital Luggage (cloakroom) Lockers or Digilockers — at all stations. Further, 1,108 TTEs are have been equipped with Hand Held Terminals (HHTs) for real-time ticket checking and data access. </p><p>The SWR said it had also fully implemented the e-office system in all its administrative offices and introduced e-TRR for freight loading to support paperless transactions. </p><p>The SWR has launched e-auctions, e-tenders platform to simplify and speed up contractual processes. The SWR was the first railway zone in South India to implement the Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) mobile app in a regional language (Kannada) on January 18, 2023. </p><p>The SWR was also the first railway zone to introduce mobile ticketing across its entire network. Five new Yatri Ticketing Suvidha Kendras (YTSKs) were commissioned in 2024-25, increasing the total to 24 by March 2025. Likewise, 20 new Station Ticket Booking Agents (STBAs) were added during the same period, bringing the total to 131, it said. </p> .<p>A total of 107 Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs), first introduced in October 2015 at Bengaluru, Hubballi and Mysuru stations, are currently functional across the zone. </p><p>A 100 per cent online Coaching E-Balance Sheet system, along with integrated UTS and PRS e-Balance Sheet and E-CR Note systems, has been implemented at all UTS and PRS locations. QR codes with approved menus and tariffs have been introduced in static units and pantry cars, the zone said. </p> .<p>The SWR has also achieved full digitisation of freight revenue collection through e-payment and Online Payment Systems. The Rail Bijli Samadhan app has been launched across the zone to streamline energy billing and grievance redress. </p><p>Railway passengers can now conveniently lodge complaints and grievances through the Rail Madad mobile app. </p><p>The SWR's Hubballi division has introduced 'Margadarshak', a digital map and navigation system at the Hubballi railway station. </p>
