When it comes to rail travel, users of the lower-fare sleeper- and second-class segments are willing to pay extra for better quality of service. This is evident from the pattern of tickets booked online. For online booking, users typically pay extra to avoid the hassle of standing in regular across-the-counter booking queues.
Around 61 per cent of online ticket bookings are done by non-AC travellers. This trend runs contrary to initial belief that e-ticketing will be adopted by the upper class air conditioned segment travellers. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) now charges Rs 10 extra for booking non-AC online tickets.
But, even in the previous three years (2008, 2009 and 2010), when IRCTC charged higher amounts for booking online tickets, the non-AC users accounted for a 61-62 per cent share of the total online train bookings.
In absolute terms in 2011, some 6.7 crore tickets were booked in the non-AC segments of second and sleeper class. Second class tickets ensure reserved seats, whereas sleeper class tickets are for reserved berths.
GROWTH
Moreover, despite a large base effect, both these segments registered double-digit annual growth (at 35 per cent) for second class and 16 per cent for sleeper class in 2011.
The growth rate is similar to the trend in the air-conditioned online ticket booking space which ranged from 20 to 35 per cent. To book e-tickets, air-conditioned users have to pay Rs 20 extra for each ticket.
On an average, the total online train ticket bookings saw a 20 per cent growth in 2011. And, even though total online bookings are still showing double-digit growth, the high base effect appears to have set in as the rate of growth was higher in previous years.