Difference Between E Ticket And I Ticket

[Wanderlust]

What is the difference between e ticket and i ticket in Indian Railway reservation system? For the first time I am trying to book tickets for my train journey through IRCTC reservation portal. And I can see that there is option to opt for either an e ticket or i ticket.

I am presuming that there must be some fundamental difference between the two types of tickets, but I could not find any relevant info on the IRCTC website. Which one would be applicable in my case? Which type of ticket shall I buy for my travel?

Can someone possibly throw some light on the difference between an e ticket and i ticket?

 

[Debapriya Deb]

IRCTC online reservation portal offers 2 types of ticket booking facility, e ticket and i ticket.

E Ticket: An e ticket or electronic ticket is the most common form of online ticketing where a passenger can book his/her train reservation through the IRCTC website. An email (and SMS) with the booked ticket is sent to the passenger's email account after the successful booking of e ticket. He/she can simply take a printout of the booked ticket alongwith an ID proof and show the same to the TTE while travelling. The SMS received from IRCTC is also a valid proof for travelling with e tickets.

I Ticket: An i ticket, or internet ticket, is the same as booking a ticket from railway reservation counters. The advantage here is that you need not have to physically go to the railway station counter, but rather book it from the comfort of your home. It is particularly useful for those who are unable to physically go to a railway booking counter to book the train reservation. i ticket is also aimed for providing online reservation facility to those passengers who do not have access to printer. In case of i ticket, the booking procedure remains the same as booking an e ticket. However, it doesn't get sent to your mailbox. Instead, IRCTC delivers the ticket to your physical address by courier service.

Difference between e ticket and i ticket

Booking Time-Frame: While e tickets can be booked at any time till the final chart is prepared on the day of travel, i tickets must be booked atleast 3 days in advance. That's because IRCTC requires a minimum of 3 days to deliver the ticket to your doorstep via courier service.
Cost: The cost of e ticket is inclusive of actual fare plus service charges. i tickets attract additional postage charge for delivering the ticket to the passenger's address. So the cost of i tickets is slightly more than e tickets.

Tatkal Facility: Tatkal quota tickets can be booked as e tickets, however the tatkal facility can't be availed with i tickets as the tickets are required to be booked atleast 3 days in advance.

Lost Tickets: In case of a lost e ticket, one can simply take another printout of the email sent by IRCTC. Getting a duplicate i ticket is a difficult task. One has to visit the railway reservation counter and provide the PNR details to get a duplicate copy of i ticket. Duplicate i ticket also attracts additional charges.

Waiting List Tickets: Unconfirmed e tickets which are in the waiting list at the time of chart preparation automatically get cancelled. So one can't travel with waiting list e tickets. In case of i tickets, there is no automatic cancellation for wait listed tickets. So if you need to travel at any cost, even in unreserved compartment, then opting for i ticket makes sense.

Ticket Cancellation: e tickets can be cancelled online and the refund is made to the bank account / credit card from which the transaction was made. Online cancellation facility is not available for i tickets. One has to visit the railway counter physically for the cancellation of i tickets. However, cash refunds are not made from the railway counter. It gets credited back to your card / bank account within 3 business days after initiating the cancellation request. Also the cancellation charges for i ticket is higher than the e tickets.

ID Proof: In case of e tickets, travelling with a valid ID proof is mandatory. However, the ticket examiners usually don't ask to produce ID proof while travlling with an i ticket.

These are the major differences between e tickets and i tickets which I am aware of.

Regards,
Deb

 

[Wanderlust]

Now I know the difference between an e ticket and i ticket. Thanks a lot. That's really helpful.

 

[Admin]

You really don't ever need an iTicket. Buy an eticket as a rule unless you are planning to travel without any identity proof in which case an iticket is your only online option.

 

[Prits]

Certainly! In the Indian Railway reservation system, there are two main types of tickets: e-ticket and i-ticket. Here's a brief explanation of the differences between them:

E-Ticket (Electronic Ticket):

1. Booking Process:
   
   • E-tickets are booked online through the IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) website or mobile app.
   • The entire booking process, including payment, is done electronically.
2. No Physical Document Required:
   
   • E-tickets are entirely electronic, and passengers don't need a physical ticket. The booking details are stored electronically in the IRCTC system.
3. Print at Home:
   
   • Passengers receive an electronic confirmation (Booking Confirmation/Reservation Confirmation) after booking. This confirmation serves as the travel document.
   • Passengers can choose to print the confirmation or simply show the electronic confirmation on their mobile devices during the journey.
4. Cancellation and Refund:
   
   • Cancellation and refund processes are managed online through the IRCTC website or app.

I-Ticket (Internet Ticket):

1. Booking Process:
   
   • I-tickets are also booked online through the IRCTC website or app.
   • However, the physical ticket is couriered to the passenger's address.
2. Physical Document Required:
   
   • Passengers need to carry the physical printed ticket during the journey. The couriered ticket includes details like the passenger's name, PNR (Passenger Name Record), train details, and more.
3. Home Delivery:
   
   • The physical ticket is delivered to the passenger's registered address through a courier service.
4. Cancellation and Refund:
   
   • The cancellation process for i-tickets involves visiting a railway reservation counter. Refunds are processed through the counter, and the canceled ticket must be submitted physically.

Which One to Choose?

• For Immediate Travel:
  
  • If you are booking tickets close to your travel date or need immediate confirmation, an e-ticket is more convenient as it doesn't require physical delivery.
• For Those Who Prefer a Physical Ticket:
  
  • If you prefer having a physical ticket, the i-ticket is an option, and it will be couriered to your address.
• Cancellation Considerations:
  
  • If you anticipate the need for cancellation, an e-ticket might be more convenient, as the cancellation process is handled online. I-tickets require a physical visit to a reservation counter for cancellation.

For most passengers, especially those booking online, e-tickets are the more common and convenient choice. However, your choice may depend on personal preferences and specific requirements. Always check the latest guidelines and procedures on the IRCTC website.