TBM Staff - Mumbai The Indian railways serve as the lifeline of the nation, connecting its vast and diverse landscape. In an effort to elevate every travel experience with the Indian railways, MakeMyTrip has launched a host of tech-driven features designed to enhance every railway journey and address common consumer pain points.
The company revolutionized the traveller’s booking journey, dividing it into clear phases and leveraging technology for solutions. Securing confirmed train tickets has long been a challenge, often leaving travellers with waitlisted tickets due to high demand. MakeMyTrip Trains introduced a groundbreaking Seat Lock feature, allowing travellers to secure a confirmed ticket by paying only 25% upfront, with the rest due 24 hours before travel. Additionally, the Connected Travel feature offers alternative routes by seamlessly integrating bus and train journeys, providing more options for travellers even when direct trains are unavailable on their preferred dates.
“We are committed to enriching train travel and ensuring every journey is a memorable experience on MakeMyTrip. We looked at the entire thread of train travel – from planning and identifying the right train, to the actual purchase experience and all the way through to pre-arrival stages. With the introduction of our new interventions at every step of the train booking and travel journey, we remain committed to empower travellers with choice, flexibility, and peace of mind, setting a new standard for effortless, convenient, and enjoyable train travel,” said Rajesh Magow, Co-founder and Group CEO, MakeMyTrip.
Another critical addition is the new Route Extension Assistance feature. Powered by algorithms developed in-house, this feature offers alternative options when seats are unavailable on a preferred route. For instance, 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, enabling the traveller to disembark at station B which falls in the route of the suggested train. This availability would otherwise have been very difficult for a typical user to discover and unlock. Travellers don’t have to look up route maps and train combinations separately. It also offers the Nearby Stations Recommendations that suggests trains from stations within a few kilometres’ radius when tickets are unavailable from the chosen station. This means if a traveller can’t find a train from station A to C, they can explore options from nearby station B. Additionally, the Free Cancellation option provides a 100% cancellation penalty waiver, giving customers the flexibility to change their travel plans without worrying about high cancellation fees.
No journey is complete without a satisfying meal. With the Food in Train feature, travellers can explore a variety of restaurants and easily schedule food delivery to their seats, even after the journey has begun. To ensure a tension-free travel experience, the Trains funnel on the platform now also provides PNR and Availability Alerts for proactive updates on booking status and personalized alternative travel recommendations. The Train Tracking and Platform Locator features gives train travellers all the necessary information for boarding and de-boarding in one place even when phone network is a challenge.
These new features join MakeMyTrip’s roster of innovative offerings, following the successful launch of Trip Guarantee in 2021.
