Advance tickets online only

All preparations have been taken to sell cent per cent tickets online for the intercity trains in advance for this year’s Eid-ul-Fitr, the Bangladesh Railway (BR) authorities have said.

Moreover, the authorities said there would be no technical glitches while handling the online ticket sales.

The system will remove ticket seekers’ hassles they face every year while waiting for hours in front of the counters. The authorities have upgraded the ticketing system to provide smooth service for the passengers.

On April 7, the BR will sell tickets for April 17, on April 8, 9, 10 and 11 for April 18, 19, 20 and 21, respectively. The return tickets will be available online from April 15 to April 20. The tickets will be sold ten days before the journey.

Each day the railway authorities will sell around 30,000 tickets for all trains including the special ones that will leave Dhaka. But, no tickets will be available for passengers who do not have a registered and verified account using NID or Birth registration certificate.

A registered passenger can purchase a maximum of four tickets for the journey to home and back to the city. During purchase, registered passengers will need to give input of NID or Birth certificate information of all three co-passengers.

The BR claims that there will be no technical glitch while purchasing tickets online as the system has been upgraded.

During the Eid ticket selling, all counters for intercity trains at the railway station will be kept shut. However, they will sell 25% off tickets for standing passengers on the day of the journey.

However, other than intercity trains, tickets for locals and commuters will be available at the counters.

Apart from the Eid tickets, the BR has also decided to make advance tickets available for all intercity trains ten days before the journey from April 1. These tickets will be available both online and at counters without a quota system.

While briefing on the latest development, Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan said during Eid people had to suffer a lot while collecting tickets. “Besides, there is an old allegation of selling tickets in the black market at a higher price,” he added.

“We want to change the situation. It is inhuman that people stand in long queues for hours and go home empty-handed. We are going to sell online tickets ten days before the journey date so that passengers who will not get tickets can decide on arranging alternative transports,” he added.

If this initiative is successful, the authorities will introduce cent per cent online ticketing systems in the future, he said.

There will be nine pairs of special trains for holidaymakers this Eid season. At least 53 more additional coaches will be added for the service. The authorities may add another train later, he said.

A total of 218 locomotives will be in Eid service and days off of all intercity trains have been cancelled from April 17. Mitali Express, an international train between Dhaka and West Bengal’s New Jalpaiguri in India, will not be in service during April 20-27 but Bandhan Express will be in service.

From April 20 to April 22, all goods-laden trains will be kept out of service except container and oil tankers. Besides, there will be no saloon coaches with trains during the 10-day Eid rush. Inter-city trains—Ekota, Drutojan, Panchagarh, Nil Sagar, Kurigram, Lalmoni and Rangpur express will not stop at Biman Bandar station while entering Dhaka.