Everything You Need to Know About Platform Ticket Rules

We often visit to railway stations either to see off our family members, friends or to welcome our relatives and guests. Seeing off at station or moving to station for receiving anyone is a gesture of love and emotion. It’s an emotional phenomenon in our society. The sound of train arriving at platform makes us peep left and right to the railway pathways to assure from which direction the train is arriving. While visiting to any railway platform, its mandatory to buy a separate railway ticket usually called “platform ticket”. RailMitra, will give you details on platform tickets its validity, usage, need, and rules. Also, it’s better to check the train running status before you commute to station. Let’s start to know about the history and how platform tickets came into existence.

History of Platform Tickets: The history dates back to 19th century when train cars used to be open at platform and ticket checker has to check the travel tickets by standing outside on the platform. Sometimes, the train would move while ticket checking. Sounds quite dangerous! Though the train moved in a slow motion, yet it caused many injuries and accidents. As the trains’ cars didn’t have inter-connected corridors, it wasn’t possible to check the tickets by entering once into the train.

However, the railway system came up with a solution to check the ticket on the platform only, and then it became necessary to own a platform ticket and travel ticket separately by visitors and passengers. The travel ticket holder had the right to board the trains and platform ticket holders were allowed to enter the platform to see off their family members but couldn’t board the train.

With the advancement in technologies implemented by Indian Railways, the ticket checkpoint lost its importance. Further, the railway ticket checking process started inside the train coaches as the inter-connected corridors allowed the people to move from one coach to another. But the importance of platform ticket remained same as it was an exemplary way to restrict the people boarding a train without a travel ticket.

Validity of Platform ticket: Usually the platform tickets have validity of two hours from the time of issuing. In some cases it goes long when you own some kind of privilege or special passes for platform visits. To know more about the railway platform pass you can contact any IRCTC ticket window.

Usage Visiting Indian Railway platform without a ticket is an offence. One can be penalized if caught without a ticket on platform. So, if you are heading to see off your loved ones at station or going to receive them, please ensure to buy a platform ticket before entering the station’ platforms.

Need of Platform Ticket: Immense crowd at platforms can lead to several problems. As railway stations are one of the busiest place, thousands of people board an de-board their trains every day. In such condition keeping the platforms’ free from extra crowd and make the passengers feel safe and secure at the place, platform tickets are very needful.

Platform tickets restrict the roamers and other people entering into railways platforms. This eliminates extra crowding at platform premises. Another factor is that the platform tickets help in generating revenue for Indian Railways. The fund is used in keeping the platforms clean and maintained.

Rules related to Platform ticket:

1. There are certain rules related to Platform tickets. These are enlisted below.
2. Entering into platform premises without a platform ticket is an offence under Railway act.
3. One platform ticket is valid for one visitor only.
4. The validity of platform tickets is two hours from its issued time.
5. Tickets have to be returned at the exit, when leaving the platform.
6. If one caught without a platform ticket, then a penalty of Rs.250 is payable to the platform ticket checker.
7. If you are caught without a platform ticket by a railway ticket checker (T.T.E) at platform then the fare of last train departed or arrived from that platform has to be paid as penalty.
8. If the platform ticket has been expired the validity (2 hours) then the amount of Rs.250 is fined to the person.
9. There is no cancellation or refund for platform ticket.
10. The platform ticket can be bought from non reservation ticket windows at railway station.
11. Usually the amount of Rs. 10 has to be paid for availing a platform ticket. At some stations the amount as been increased from 10 to 20 rupees.
12. Remember that platform ticket provides an authority to visit the platforms only. This ticket doesn’t allow carriage.

Free entry at platform without any legal restriction: It’s true that some people are privileged to walk on platform without a platform ticket. Railway staff, civil police, military personnel, railway contractors, and staffs on duty are provided a privilege passes to visit on platform without purchasing any special ticket. Excise duty officials, railway police force and department of post and telegraph staffs are allowed to visit platform without a platform ticket.

Is it possible to buy a platform ticket online? You can buy a platform ticket online but at some limited station. UTS application is introduced by IRCTC which allows visitors to buy platform tickets online. The initiative is taken to reduce the paper usage and to cut down the long queues of visitors striving to get platform tickets offline.

Whenever, you are going to receive or drop your relatives at railway station, buy a platform ticket worth Rs.10. If you are going to drop your loved one, then smile! …They will be back again. Enjoy waiting at platform for the train to arrive, as it might bring someone for you with gifts and sweets after a long span of time.

Originally published at blog.railmitra.com on February 7, 2019.