How to book train tickets using IRCTC's AI assistant
What's the story
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has introduced an advanced artificial intelligence (AI)-powered virtual assistant, AskDISHA 2.0, to transform how passengers use its services.
The innovative tool offers a simple and user-friendly interface for booking train tickets, checking refund statuses, and handling other travel-related queries.
It caters to users of all tech-savviness levels by guiding them through every step of the booking process.
Multilingual support
AskDISHA 2.0 supports multiple languages
One of the standout features of AskDISHA 2.0 is its ability to book tickets using voice commands in several languages, including English, Hindi, Hinglish, and Gujarati.
This feature makes it accessible even for those who aren't comfortable with text-based navigation.
The assistant also offers secure booking without needing users to remember their IRCTC passwords by allowing OTP authentication for added security during transactions.
Enhanced features
Quick refunds and transaction retries
AskDISHA 2.0 also promises faster refunds for cancellations or failed transactions, cutting down on wait times.
It stores passenger details for quicker future bookings and allows users to retry failed transactions within a 15-minute window, minimizing disruptions in the booking process.
These features significantly improve the overall user experience by simplifying travel-related tasks and reducing the complexities associated with them.
Booking process
Book train tickets with AskDISHA 2.0
Booking a train ticket with AskDISHA 2.0 is easy. Users need to visit the IRCTC website or app and find the Ask DISHA option.
They can then start a chat by typing "Hello" or "Ticket Book" or using voice commands.
The assistant then prompts to enter details like source station, destination, travel date, and class preference.It shows available trains, their timings, and seat availability for selection before guiding through a secure payment process, including OTP-based authentication if required.
Refund tracking
How to check the refund status
To track a refund status, users have to visit the IRCTC website or app and find the Ask DISHA option.
They can then type "refund status" in chat or use voice commands.
The assistant prompts them to choose from options like ticket cancellation, failed transaction, or Ticket Deposit Receipt (TDR) before asking for the PNR number of the ticket they want to check.
This way, it provides hassle-free updates on their refunds.
Ticket cancellation
Cancel a train ticket with AskDISHA 2.0
To cancel a train ticket, users have to visit the IRCTC website or app and find the Ask DISHA option.
They can then type "Cancel ticket" in the search bar and enter their mobile number to log in.
The assistant shows details of booked tickets for selection before confirming cancellation, which is reflected on their account with an SMS notification.