NRC to commence web-based ticketing in 2017

MR Fidet Okhiria, Managing Director, Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), said on Wednesday that plans were underway to commence web-based ticketing for the Abuja-Kaduna rail line, this year.

Okhiria told newsmen in Abuja that the software was presently being developed, saying that it would reduce the challenge of overselling of tickets to passengers.

“The management cannot be on the spot at all times; when the web-based ticketing starts, all the present challenges of tickets being oversold will be resolved.

“We are working on it seriously and we want to make sure it comes on board very soon, this year,’’ he said.

The managing director said that the corporation was also developing a software that would produce tickets that could be used for one week, rather than the present daily tickets being sold.

“In other countries, we pay for premium tickets of one week duration and it usually attracts a higher charge.

“The NRC is going to introduce that too, we are currently working on the software too but not as fast as we are working on the software for web-based ticketing.

“Ticketing is an urgent need now for the system to function perfectly.’’

Okhiria said that in rail operations, challenges were expected but the solution was to plan ahead and respond promptly to those challenges.