Amazon India Launches Train Ticket Booking Service in Partnership With IRCTC

Amazon India has partnered with Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to let passengers book train tickets. As of now, the booking feature is only available on Amazon's mobile website and the app for Android. Amazon boasts of several helpful features to make the booking process convenient for customers, including one-click payment, no additional service charges, and cashback offers, according to its press release. As an introductory offer, first-time customers can avail cashback of up to Rs. 120 on their bookings.

Amazon has set up a special page to promote the new train ticket booking facility on its website. However, it specifies that the feature is currently only available on Amazon Android app and mobile website. The page also carries a QR code that can be scanned to gain quick access to the ticket booking portal on mobile. Amazon said in a press release that the feature will make its way into iOS platform soon.

Customers can book tickets by heading to the Amazon Pay tab and then selecting the trains/travel category. Just like any other travel booking portal, customers can put in their desired destinations and travel dates and then select a suitable train trip from the list that comes up. Users can either choose to use their Amazon Pay Balance or opt for any other digital payment method. Customers can also cancel their tickets from the Your Orders section.

Before booking, customers can check out seat and quota availability across all train classes on the app. The ticket booking portal also allows customers to check their PNR status (for tickets booked on Amazon only), download, and cancel tickets as needed.

Customers who use Amazon Pay Balance wallet can experience a smooth one-click booking experience. Amazon Pay users will also get instant refund in case of cancellations or booking failures, the company said.

The e-retailer said that customers will get a 10 percent cashback (up to Rs. 100) on their first ticket booking. Prime members can avail a 12 percent cashback (up to Rs. 120) for their first booking as well. The company said that the offer will only be available for a limited period of time, although no further details were announced. During the introductory period, Amazon has also waived off service and payment gateway transaction charges.

Amazon Pay director Vikas Bansal said in a prepared statement, “Last year, we launched flights and bus ticket booking on Amazon. With the facility to book reserved train tickets on our platform, we are enabling travel across any mode preferred by customers.”

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