Yatri Ticket Suvidha Kendras (YTSK)

JTBS

What is YTSK?

YTSK, or Yatri Ticket Suvidha Kendra, is an outsourcing scheme of the Indian Railways. It allows entrepreneurs to set up ticket sale counters near railway stations and sell reserved and unreserved railway tickets. The selected Yatri Ticket Suvidha Kendras (operators) sell reserved rail tickets through computerised terminals.

Indian Railways introduced YTSK to expand the sale of both reserved and unreserved tickets. Passengers benefit, as they can buy rail tickets in the market instead of going to the station.

What are the rules governing YTSK counters?

  • YTSK counters can issue all Reserved and Unreserved Tickets.

  • For unreserved tickets, YTSK operators collect a service charge of Re. 1.00 per passenger. The YTSK terminal includes this amount in the printed ticket, and the operator retains it as a service fee for running the YTSK counter.

  • A YTSK counter is authorised to issue cash tickets only.

  • A YTSK counter can issue concessional tickets to senior citizens only.

  • YTSK counters are not permitted to cancel or refund tickets.

  • A YTSK counter is not allowed to sell platform tickets.

  • YTSK operators are allowed to renew season tickets. For the service charge, each season ticket counts as a single ticket for a single passenger.

What role does Thinvent play in YTSK?

Thinvent has developed a dumb terminal that is 100% compatible with the Unreserved Ticketing System of the Indian Railways. We developed this product in cooperation with CRIS, an Indian Railways body, and it is in use across multiple Railways zones and YTSK counters.

Thinvent provides YTSK operators with a turnkey technology solution, including the terminal, printer, modem and terminal server.

What equipment is needed for YTSK?

To run a YTSK counter, you need the following equipment:

  • JTBS compatible dumb terminal. The terminal should come with a compatible monitor and keyboard.

  • Ticket printer.

  • Modem at the counter end.

  • Modem at the Railways end.

  • Terminal server at the Railways end (required at some locations).