In this article you learn Step by Step on how to get a ticket for General Class in India.
Until few years back, I could book a ticket for General Class in Indian trains only by standing in long queues in the booking counter of the railway station.
I remember rushing to the railway station in Guwahati, Assam, and standing in a long queue of passengers struggling to get a General Class train ticket.
In December 2025, while standing in a similar queue at Bhojo Railway Station in Sivasagar, Assam, I noticed a QR code on a wall with the message: “You don’t have to stand in a queue anymore. Book Unreserved Tickets Online.”
Though I was second in line and the ticket issuer was yet to come, I skipped the line and downloaded the UTSonMobile app (which was decommissioned in March 2026).
It then redirected me to the new RailOne app. I logged in using my IRCTC account login details.
Earlier through UTS app, you could book only unreserved tickets single journey tickets, platform tickets, and seasonal passes.
On RailOne app you can book both reserved and unreserved tickets, platform tickets, search for trains, check PNR status and coach position, track live train running status, order food, file refund, ask for help via rail madad and more.
I remember traveling for 12 hours in the general class train coach from my home to Guwahati during my college days.
In my three years of college life, I mostly traveled in the General Coach for two reasons – it was cheap (back then it was Rs 150 for 499 km), affordable, and you get meet people from all backgrounds and live the real train travel experience.
Striking up a conversation or two with a complete stranger, the chaos of the passengers struggling for spaces, the singer singing old Hindi songs which sounded repetitive yet soothing in that chaos, starring at the paddy fields, napping at times and reading a few pages of a book – the raw and real experience I loved.
Among those journeys, was a instance where the train stopped for 2 hours with paddy fields on left and right on a hot and humid summer day.
Almost all the passengers got down, some brought water from a nearby tube well of a house, some sat near the railway tracks waiting for the train to blow the horn. Luckily there was a person selling ice cream. I bet that was his best business day.
Among all the Indian train classes, the general coach passengers are the highest.
No wonder around 651 crore passengers traveled in general class in 2024-25 as quoted in Times of India.
Here’s How to Get A Ticket for General Class In India Online
I will share the steps with screenshots for you to have a better understanding and convenience while booking the ticket.
Step 1 – Download the App
The RailOne app is available both for android and iphones.
Here are the download links –
→ Download RailOne on Android Phone
Step 2 – Register or Login with your IRCTC account details
For a first time user of Indian Railway online services, you can register with your phone number.
If you already have a IRCTC account, you can login using your username and password.
Alternatively, there are also options to login with Rail Connect and UTS account details.
You can also set up mPIN for an easier login experience.
Step 3 – Select Unreserved Option
Once logged in the dashboard will welcome you with your name, and show the following options –
Under Journey Planner
→ Reserved
→ Unreserved
→ Coach Position
→ Track Your Train
Under More Offerings
→ Search Trains
→ PNR Status
→ Coach Position
→Track Your Train
→ Order Food
→ File Refund
→ Rail Madad
→ Go to Waves
If you have already booked a ticket, it will then show you the details of your upcoming Journey
You have to select the Unreserved Option.
Step 4 – Enter Your Origin and Destination Station
In the Unreserved E-Ticket Dashboard, you will have the options to book a Normal Single Ticket or Season Pass (if you travel regularly along the same destinations).
You can book the Unreserved ticket by being outside of the Station or At Station. It will detect the location.
Now Enter your origin and destination railway station names.
You can directly “Proceed to Book” or Check Upcoming trains that will pass through your entered stations.
Step 5 – Select the Type of Train and number of Passengers
There are options for you to choose which train you want to board in the general coach.
The fare for Superfast category trains are more, for Mail/Express train it is lesser, and if you choose the ordinary option, it is the lowest.
Once clicked on the Book Now button, it will take you to the payment page.
Step 6 – Select the Payment Method and Make the Payment
Once you are the Payment Page. You can either add money to the Wallet, select UPI method to pay or choose Other Payment Methods (Debit/Credit Card and Net Banking).
Using the RailOne App, you get a discount of 3 percent too. The discount will show once you tap on your desired payment option.
You will get different UPI app options to proceed with the payment or you can also enter your UPI id directly.
Step 7 – Access your General Class Unreserved E-Ticket
Once the Payment is processed, the ticket will be generated.
You can access it in your My Bookings section and it will also show in the Upcoming Journeys section in the main dashboard.
You will also receive a text message on your phone confirming the booking.
The message will also remind you that that “This message does not provide authorization to travel unlike reserved tickets.
The ticket also comes with a time limit. An unreserved e-ticket is valid for starting your journey within three hours of booking or before the departure of the first train, whichever comes earlier.
For example, if you book a ticket at 7:35 PM, you can use it to start your journey until 10:35 PM, unless the first train on that route departs earlier.
It is therefore important not to assume that the ticket can be used at any time after booking.
Please Note
The screenshots shared in this article are strictly for educational and instructional purposes to help you navigate the booking application.
You might notice that the RailOne app blocks you from taking screenshots of your unreserved ticket.
Even if you try to take a photo of the ticket using another phone (like the edited example shown above), please note that Indian Railways strictly bans the use of photos, screenshots, or WhatsApp copies of Unreserved E-tickets for travel.
When asked by the Travelling Ticket (or Train) Examiner (TTE) during your journey, you must show the live digital ticket inside your official RailOne app.
Traveling with a screenshot is treated as traveling without a ticket and can result in penalties.
The unreserved digital ticket must be accessed on the exact same mobile phone number and physical device used to buy it.
If a relative books a general ticket on their phone and sends a screenshot to a traveler at a different station, that ticket will be considered invalid.
Things to Know About General Class Travel
1. You cannot book way in advance like reserved tickets.
You have to book the unreserved tickets by standing in line (queue) at the booking counter opf the railway station or book them on RailOne App right before the departure.
2. There’s no seat guarantee like the reserved tickets:
The ticket permits only the entry to the designated general coaches of the trains.
You may or may not get a seat and might stand for while until another seated passenger leaves gets down at their destination. This happened while returning recently from Pathshala to Guwahati. I had to stand for 1 hour.
3. Know about the General Coach location
You will find the general coaches of a train on either in front near the engine or towards the end of the train (gaurd end) of long distance mail and express trains.
For Passenger and Daily trains – all coaches would be the general coaches.
4. Basic Amenities and Hygiene
The benches would like a sleeping coaches but to sit on, some have chair styled seats, there will be a space to keep your luggage on the top (remains occupied by passengers mostly), ceiling fans, open-able windows.
The toilet of the general coaches might be less cleaner than what reserved coaches.
Summing it Up
All in all, choose unreserved or general coach travel when you are travelling for a short distances or want to spend less even for longer journeys.
If you have a mobile phone, good access to internet, and install the RailOne App and book your general ticket online – less hassle, more convenient.
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