The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has introduced AskDISHA 2.0, an AI-powered virtual assistant that now allows passengers to book and cancel train tickets or check refund status using simple voice or text commands.
The new version of AskDISHA enables ticket bookings without the need to enter passwords, offering a seamless and user-friendly experience. It supports multiple languages—English, Hindi, Hinglish, and Gujarati—and can be accessed through the IRCTC website or mobile application. The launch is expected to benefit passengers across the country, especially in regions where train travel is a primary mode of transport, such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. The assistant offers guidance through each step of the process, reducing the digital barrier for less tech-savvy users. Passengers can initiate bookings by simply saying or typing commands like “Hello” or “Book Ticket.” The assistant then collects journey details such as source and destination stations, date, and travel class. A train list with timings and seat availability is shown, after which users can confirm the booking using a one-time password (OTP), eliminating the need to remember login credentials.
For ticket cancellations, AskDISHA 2.0 displays the list of booked tickets and allows users to select and cancel a specific reservation. An SMS confirmation is sent post-cancellation. The AI assistant also offers real-time refund tracking. Users can type or speak “Refund Status,” select the refund type—whether cancellation, failed transaction, or Ticket Deposit Receipt (TDR)—and input the PNR number to instantly receive an update. Additional features include storing traveller information for quicker bookings and allowing retry attempts for failed transactions within 15 minutes. The integration of AI is expected to reduce wait times, improve transaction accuracy, and simplify access to key railway services.
With AskDISHA 2.0, IRCTC aims to redefine the train travel experience in India, making it more intuitive, faster, and accessible for millions of passengers, particularly in under-served areas.
