NRC: Minister launches e-ticketing, eight more trains coming for Abuja-Kaduna

After a trial run of a novel idea of electronic ticketing for the standard gauge Abuja-Kaduna train, a formal launch of the innovation was held in Abuja on Thursday.

Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, inaugurated the e-ticketing with a demonstration of the process, which was witnessed across the country and abroad via Zoom.

This inauguration came with an announcement that the Abuja-Kaduna trains would be increased from eight to 16 with an indication that more people expected to start using the train with the e-ticket platform would be accommodated.

Amaechi had said last week that the Nigerian Railway Corporation had commenced the test bookings on the e-ticketing platform on the Abuja-Kaduna rail line as a prelude to the launch.

He made the disclosure through a tweet posted on his official Twitter handle Wednesday, January 13.

He said the tickets would be sold through phones, designated outlets and at various stations, adding that measures had been put in place to ensure that the e-ticketing meets international standards.

The innovation is expected to enable passengers to access the train tickets easily and guarantee orderliness as well as address some security challenges.

The introduction of the e-ticket platform by the NRC is coming against the backdrop of complaints by passengers about unpleasant experiences in buying the train tickets.

Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the NRC, Fidet Okhiria, said six more trains would be added to the Abuja-Kaduna trains in anticipation of more passengers on the route following the launch of the e-ticketing.

He stated this at the launch of the e-ticketing, adding that the arrangement was to have one train moving every hour on that train corridor.

“Now that we have gone digital with our ticketing, those who have refused to use the train because of ticketing hurdle can now come.

“We are moving from eight trains to 16 trains so that every hour, there will be a train. We have removed the hurdle around the ticketing.”

He commended the minister and the NRC chairman for their quality leadership and particularly stressed that the pressure by the minister had been a positive driving force for innovative changes and improvement in the nation’s railway system.