Indian Railways introduces shareable UTS season tickets on RailOne app
Indian Railways has rolled out a major update for daily commuters by introducing the new Shareable UTS Season Ticket feature on the RailOne application. This convenient service enables registered users to book monthly passes for friends and family members alongside their own tickets. Effective from September 2, 2026, the service was officially announced by Vineet Abhishek, Chief Public Relations Officer of Western Railway, following approval from the Railway Board and implementation guidelines issued by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS). Saurabh Jain, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of Kota, has also detailed the procedural rules for this rollout.
Under the updated system, any registered RailOne user must be at least 18 years old to book a season ticket. A single user is permitted to book one ticket for their own travel and up to five additional season tickets for other individuals, provided the traveler is at least five years old. Tickets booked for the primary user through geo-fencing verification become valid immediately upon booking, whereas tickets booked for other passengers take effect from the following day.
Ticket Verification and Travel Guidelines
Passengers utilizing this feature are required to carry a clear, legible printed copy of the ticket or a valid PDF version on a mobile device. Each ticket must contain the traveler’s valid details and a clear photograph, which is also digitally embedded within the ticket's QR code. Railway authorities mandate that the visible photo and the embedded QR code photo must strictly match the traveler’s identity. Officials have emphasized that booking receipts, invoices, or standard UTS paper tickets will not be accepted as valid travel documents during ticket checks.
During journeys, ticket-checking staff will use handheld terminals (HHTs) equipped with QR code scanning to verify authenticity. Authorities have issued a strict warning that damaged, altered, or unclear QR codes will lead to penalties, as they prevent proper system verification. This new update seamlessly complements existing RailOne services, which include platform ticket booking, train tracking, coach position finding, food ordering, and Rail-Madad integration. Meanwhile, previous digital services such as the multi-trip ticket booking facility in the Mumbai suburban area will continue to function according to existing regulations.