50% of train tickets still purchased in cash: Study

New Delhi: Even though the government is pushing hard to promote digital payment in every sector, 50 per cent of the train tickets are still bought in cash. According to the findings of a study, 50 per cent of train tickets in the country are still purchased in cash as commuters find themselves more convenient in booking train tickets through their neighbourhood ticketing agents.

RailYatri, a web-based firm that provides various rail and bus-based solutions, conducted the study among 50,000 travellers across 25 cities and consulted around 800 travel agents. The study has found that even though 65 per cent of rail passengers prefer digital payments while buying a ticket, a huge share of the tickets are still bought in cash.

"A significant consumer section of India depends on managed services, especially when the complexity of their need is high. And because of the supply-demand mismatch and other uncertainties around train travel, ticket booking falls in this bucket," said Manish Rathi, Co-Founder and CEO, RailYatri.