Swarail now available on Android: Why it’s the best Indian Railways app yet | Technology News
A few months ago, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) quietly launched Swarail, a new all-in-one railway app developed by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS). Touted as a “SuperApp”, Swarail combines nearly all services offered by IRCTC under a single, modern interface, making it a major upgrade over the ageing IRCTC Rail Connect app.
The app is now available for download on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Although it’s currently in beta, users can log in using their existing IRCTC Rail Connect accounts or create a new one.
Swarail lets you book reserved, unreserved and platform tickets, eliminating the hassle of getting and waiting in a long line. To book a reserved or unreserved ticket, tap on the option of your choice and on the screen that appears, simply enter the source and destination station, set a date and choose the class you want to travel in. When you hit the search button, the app will show you a list of trains just like the IRCTC website.
Swarail has a minimalistic modern user interface. (Express Photo)
More than just a ticket-booking app
Unlike other railway apps, which are quite dated and buggy, Swarail has a pretty modern interface that makes it easy for users to avail the services they want without having to go through several clicks. Also, like most banking apps, you can choose to login to Swarail on iPhone using Face ID or opt to scan your fingerprint sensor on an Android device.
On the home screen, Swarail offers several options like the ability to search trains, check PNR status, see the position of your coach, track trains in real time, order food, ask railway authorities for help, give feedback and file for ticket refunds.
All of these options are just a tap away. This means you will no longer have to find the options you want to by opening or installing multiple apps or navigating through a cluttered UI. If you are a frequent traveller who finds it difficult to manage bookings, Swarail has a dedicated My Bookings section that lets you quickly check all your railway bookings, both past and future.
Another hidden feature is large shipment services. To make this visible, simply tap on the Menu button from the bottom bar, choose “Show/Hide Services” from the right bar and turn on the toggle named “Large Shipment Services”.
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Now, head over to the home tab and you will see some new options like Plan Shipment, Track Shipment, Freight Calculator, Freight Terminals and Freight Routes. This may not be for all, but is really handy if you are someone who often needs to send luggage from one place to another.
