North Eastern Railway introduces Mobile UTS ticketing services at five Varanasi stations
The North Eastern Railway is launching Mobile UTS services across five railway stations in Varanasi to help passengers purchase general tickets without standing in long queues. Following successful trials during the Mahakumbh, this modernization initiative aims to significantly improve passenger convenience. The Railway Board is actively expanding digital ticketing solutions to enhance the overall travel experience for unreserved passengers across the network.
Key highlights of the new ticketing initiatives:
• Mobile UTS services are now available at five stations in Varanasi.
• M-UTS assistants will sell unreserved tickets directly to passengers under a pilot project active until June 30, 2027.
• The upcoming 'RailOne' super app will replace the UTS mobile app by March 1, 2026.
• Users will receive a 3% discount on digital payments through the RailOne app.
Expansion of M UTS Assistants and Pilot Project
As part of the broader strategy to modernize ticketing, the Railway Board has launched a pilot project at 10 major stations including Varanasi, deploying dedicated M-UTS assistants. These assistants help travelers purchase unreserved tickets directly, reducing booking time at counters. This pilot program is scheduled to remain active until June 30, 2027, covering NSG (Non-Suburban Group) categories one, two, and three stations. After this period, the railway administration will evaluate the results to decide on further rollouts.
Transition to the RailOne Super App
Technological integration on Indian Railways is rapidly shifting toward the RailOne super app, which is slated to completely replace the existing UTS mobile application in a phased rollout ending on March 1, 2026. The new RailOne application will seamlessly consolidate unreserved ticketing, platform ticket booking, and season ticket renewals into a single platform. Commuters using the RailOne app will enjoy a 3% discount on digital payments along with enhanced security features, including biometric login via fingerprint or FaceID and secure MPIN protection.
CRIS Management and Festival Special Services
The Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) continues to maintain and manage the technical consistency of the entire UTS framework. Meanwhile, passenger operations remain robust with the operation of 16 additional festival special trains running between Mumbai, Varanasi, and Sultanpur. Travelers on these special services can conveniently continue to book unreserved tickets directly through the established UTS system.