AskDISHA 2.0: Book, cancel, track train & refunds with IRCTC's new AI

Voice assistant helps passengers book, cancel, track train tickets or refunds. New version has multilingual support and, smarter assistance, says Railways

Booking a train ticket online in India is usually tedious because the website for it is vast. The Indian Railways is fixing that with an artificial intelligence (AI) personal assistant that can book and cancel tickets, and even check refunds for you.

 

AskDISHA 2.0, an upgraded AI chatbot, seeks to be the virtual concierge for India’s 13 million daily railway passengers.

 

What is AskDISHA 2.0?

 

AskDISHA, short for Digital Interaction to Seek Help Anytime, was launched in 2018 by IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) to automate customer support. AskDISHA 2.0, developed in collaboration with AI firm CoRover.ai, brings voice-enabled and multilingual interaction to railway travellers.

 

According to IRCTC, AskDISHA 2.0 handles lakhs of queries daily and it can respond in English, Hindi, Hinglish and Gujarati as more languages are added to the service.

 

Why AskDISHA matters for India

 

Railways runs more than 7,000 passenger trains daily and it has a track network of 108,706 km, making it one of the largest and busiest transport systems in the world. AskDISHA 2.0 helps IRCTC by streamlining ticketing, providing instant support, and reducing dependence on physical counters and call centers.

 

Key features of AskDISHA 2.0

 

• Voice and text chat: Available in several Indian languages. 
• No passwords required: Login via OTP for quick access. 
• Refund status on demand: Check refunds instantly by PNR. 
• Passenger data storage: Frequent traveler info is saved. 
• Quick retry for failed payments: Retry payments within 15 minutes. 
• TDR filing assistance: Track status of Ticket Deposit Receipts.

 

How to use AskDISHA 2.0

 

Available on IRCTC’s website and mobile app, AskDISHA 2.0 functions as a one-stop hub for digital railway queries.

 

To book a ticket:

 

• Type or speak “Book ticket” 
• Share travel details like source, destination, and class. 
• Select from available trains and authenticate using OTP. 
• Make payment and receive e-tickets.

 

To cancel a ticket:

 

• Say “Cancel ticket” 
• Authenticate and select the PNR. 
• Confirm cancellation and wait for SMS/email confirmation.

 

To track refund:

 

• Ask “Refund status?” 
• Enter PNR or transaction ID. 
• Get real-time updates from IRCTC servers.

The bigger picture

 

Indian Railways is the largest rail network in Asia and the second-largest under single management globally. Each day, it operates:

 

• 11,000 trains, including 7,000 for passengers 
• 7,566 locomotives 
• Over 222,000 freight wagons and 37,840 coaches

 

Why does AI matter to Railways?

 

For the average Indian commuter, whether traveling to work, home, or a pilgrimage, AskDISHA 2.0 is more than a chatbot. It’s a way to interact with an infrastructure giant that touches nearly every corner of the country. From its online ticketing portal used by over 80 million users to its Rail Neer water and Smart Card initiatives, Indian Railways is modernizing, and AskDISHA is at the front of that push.

 

With IRCTC also operating air-conditioned food plazas, online tourist packages, and internet ticketing, the addition of AI makes the system smarter, quicker, and more accessible than ever.

 

Next time you're planning a trip, just open the IRCTC app and say: “AskDISHA, book my ticket.”