Mumbai Local Train News Today: Smart Cards Decline As Commuters Switch To UPI Payments

Smart cards, once a popular way for suburban railway commuters to avoid long queues, are now seeing a decline in usage, according to data from Western Railways (WR) and Central Railways (CR). While commuters still purchase tickets through automatic ticket vending machines (ATVMs), many prefer using UPI payments by scanning QR codes instead of tapping smart cards, railway officials have noted, as per the Hindustan Times (HT) report.

Although ATVMs remain in use, they account for only around 20-25 per cent of total ticket sales on CR and WR. The remaining tickets are bought either through the UTS mobile app, which contributes 10-15 per cent, or at traditional ticket windows at stations.

A railway official explained, "Sales of smart cards have been decreasing, and many commuters are returning them to the ticket windows. Instead, they are opting to pay through UPI by scanning the QR code displayed on ATVM machines."

Between April 2024 and January 2025, CR sold 3,070 smart cards, while WR sold 4,899. The average monthly sale of smart cards was 307 on CR and 445 on WR. During the same period, 809 smart cards were returned on the CR network, and 1,024 on WR, with monthly returns averaging 81 and 93, respectively.

Most of the new smart card buyers are retired railway staff, known as 'sahayaks', who assist commuters with ticket purchases at ATVMs. These facilitators buy smart cards in bulk, recharge them, and earn a small commission.

"Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the use of UPI has become more widespread. Commuters now prefer scanning QR codes on ATVMs instead of using smart cards," said another railway official.

In response to the changing needs of commuters, WR is upgrading its ATVMs. The railway plans to procure 126 upgraded machines, including 117 replacements for those that have reached the end of their operational life.

Passenger associations have acknowledged the rise of online payments but also emphasized the importance of ATVMs in easing congestion.

According to the same report, Subhash Gupta, president of Rail Yatri Parishad, said, "It's good that the rail administration has positioned ATVMs at foot overbridges, away from main ticket windows, which has helped reduce crowding in those areas."