MakeMyTrip introduces ground-breaking tech-driven features to transform train travel experience
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, announces the launch of a host of tech-driven features designed to enhance every railway journey and address common consumer pain points.
The company segmented the traveller’s booking experience into distinct phases, actively exploring technology-driven solutions. Among the most pressing concerns for customers with regards to train ticket bookings has been the difficulty in securing confirmed tickets. Typically, the booking window for confirmed tickets opens 120 days prior to the trip and fills up rapidly, often leaving travellers with waitlisted tickets. This presents a significant challenge, especially for group travellers who are uncertain about their plans so far in advance and prefer not to commit the entire sum upfront. A game changer in this regard has been the first-of-its-kind Seat Lock feature on MakeMyTrip Trains that allows travellers to secure a confirmed ticket by paying just 25% of the fare, with the remainder payable up to 24 hours before travel. Another key problem area for train ticket bookings is that confirmed tickets are not always available on direct trains/trains of choice for the preferred date of travel. This leaves travellers with very few options. MakeMyTrip’s Connected Travel feature solves for this by seamlessly combining bus and train journeys and providing multiple combinations while considering layover time and overall travel duration.
“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 deboarding in one place even when phone network is a challenge.