New Delhi: The IRCTC beta website went live at 9 pm on Wednesday, allowing users to experience its redesigned interface and submit feedback before the full rollout. Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) said the upgraded platform offers a simpler design and a faster booking process.
Users can access the beta version through the existing IRCTC homepage or directly through the beta portal. The new platform was developed after suggestions from students of the Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT), who interacted with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
IRCTC said its website, launched in 2002, now handles about 14.5 lakh ticket bookings every day. Therefore, the redesign aims to improve user experience without disrupting existing services.
IRCTC beta website adds simpler booking features
The beta version removes unnecessary captchas, pop-ups and flashing graphics. As a result, users can complete bookings with fewer distractions.
In addition, passengers can now view seat availability across all travel classes on a single screen. The booking process also requires fewer steps, making ticket reservations faster.
Further, users can save passenger details for repeat bookings. This feature reduces the time required to enter information for future journeys.
IRCTC beta website to support future upgrades
IRCTC said the beta version will collect user feedback before the full launch. Based on the suggestions, the organisation will introduce further improvements in future releases.
Meanwhile, IRCTC is upgrading the Passenger Reservation Engine that supports railway booking applications. The organisation said it carried out the work while keeping the existing system operational.
Once completed, the new reservation engine will integrate with the IRCTC beta website. IRCTC said the fully functional portal will become available in the coming weeks.
The organisation requested users to share feedback to help improve the website before its final release.
