GP launches BR e-ticketing service

The Bangladesh Railway (BR) has initiated an innovative service to allow its commuters to reserve train tickets 10 days in advance over their mobile phone through Grameenphone’s ‘Mobitaka’ service.
‘Mobitaka’ ticketing service was formally announced Thursday by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the ‘Digital Innovation Fair 2010’ when she purchased an electronic ticket for herself from the BR stall.
The PM expressed her satisfaction at such an innovative service to reduce hassles of the common people and asked everyone to bring convenience and better service by harnessing appropriate technology.
The electronic ticketing service was launched by Grameenphone (GP) with data support from Bangladesh Railway and CNS, the authorised ticketing partner of the Bangladesh Railway.
For the first time in Bangladesh, a commuter using the ‘Mobitaka’ service, can purchase electronic railway tickets at anytime and from anywhere from his mobile phone and avoid the hassle of travelling to the station during working hours or standing in queue for long periods.
Besides, it is expected that the service will also curtail the malpractices associated with acquiring train tickets.
Initially, the electronic ticketing service will be offered for all the intercity trains starting from Dhaka Kamalapur Railway, Dhaka Airport and Chittagong stations, and gradually all other intercity trains will be incorporated under this service.
To buy a digital train ticket through the ‘Mobitaka’ ticketing service a person will access a menu from his mobile phone and input the required travelling information.
After providing input, the customer can either ‘book’ the tickets for a stipulated time period or purchase the ticket instantly, subject to seat availability.
A digital train ticket number will be sent to his mobile which can be used to obtain a paper-based ticket from the train station at the time of travel.
A customer will pay a service fee of Tk 20 per seat for availing an electronic ticket though this service.
It is expected that this new electronic train ticketing service will pave the way for more new and innovative digital services for the people of Bangladesh and usher in an era of easy financial solution services through “Mobitaka.”
For details of the electronic ticketing service, interested people can call 1200 from their Grameenphone mobile or dial 01713234567 from any other number.

Courtesy of The Financial Express