TBM Staff - Mumbai
Indian Railways is the lifeline of the nation, connecting its vast and diverse landscape. To enhance every travel experience with Indian Railways, MakeMyTrip, India’s leading online travel company, has launched a suite of tech-driven features designed to improve railway journeys and address common consumer challenges.
MakeMyTrip has segmented the traveller’s booking experience into distinct phases, exploring technology-driven solutions at each stage. One major issue for customers has been securing confirmed tickets. The booking window for confirmed tickets opens 120 days before the trip and fills up quickly, often resulting in waitlisted tickets. This is particularly challenging for group travellers who are uncertain about their plans and prefer not to pay the full amount upfront. The innovative Seat Lock feature on MakeMyTrip Trains allows travellers to secure a confirmed ticket by paying just 25% of the fare, with the remainder payable up to 24 hours before travel.
Another problem is the lack of confirmed tickets on direct trains for the preferred travel date. MakeMyTrip’s Connected Travel feature addresses this by combining bus and train journeys, offering multiple combinations while considering layover times and overall travel duration.
“We are committed to enriching train travel and ensuring every journey is memorable with MakeMyTrip. We have examined the entire train travel process—from planning and booking to pre-arrival stages. With our new features, we empower travelers with choice, flexibility, and peace of mind, setting a new standard for convenient and enjoyable train travel,” said Rajesh Magow, Co-founder and Group CEO, MakeMyTrip.
A notable addition is the Route Extension Assistance feature, powered by in-house algorithms. This feature offers alternative options when seats are unavailable on a preferred route. For example, if a traveller can’t find a confirmed seat from station A to B, the algorithm suggests an option from station A to C on the same train, allowing the traveler to disembark at station B, which is on the route. This availability is typically hard for users to discover. The Nearby Stations Recommendations feature suggests trains from stations within a few kilometers’ radius when tickets are unavailable from the chosen station. Additionally, the Free Cancellation option offers a 100% cancellation penalty waiver, allowing customers to change their travel plans without worrying about high cancellation fees.
No journey is complete without a good meal. With the Food in Train feature, travelers can explore a variety of restaurants and schedule food delivery to their seats, even after the journey has begun. To ensure a stress-free travel experience, the Trains funnel on the platform provides PNR and Availability Alerts for proactive updates on booking status and personalised alternative travel recommendations. The Train Tracking and Platform Locator features give travellers all necessary information for boarding and deboarding, even when phone network connectivity is a challenge.
