Indian Railways allows you to board a train with a platform ticket provided you have a guard’s certificate: Here's how

What if you have to travel by train in an emergency and after reaching the railway station, you find a long queue in front of the ticket booking counter? Or, you find your train has arrived on the platform and you don’t have time to buy a ticket to travel to your destination? Tough situation; neither you want to miss the train nor you have time to buy a ticket by standing in the queue. But there’s a solution. You can travel by buying a platform ticket from the station and board the train that will take you to your destination. [caption id=“attachment_7074181” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Indian Railways platform ticket. Photo credit Debocrat Ghose[/caption] What’s a platform ticket? A platform ticket is a type of ticket issued by the railways, which can be bought from a railway station’s ticket counter before entering a platform. It’s meant to access a platform but not to board a train or use services provided by a train. A platform ticket costs Rs 10 and is valid for one person only. It allows the person to access the platforms for a time period of two hours. However, if a passenger has a railway ticket on the same day, a platform ticket is not required. Besides buying a platform ticket over the counter, it can be bought online through UTS App meant for booking railway tickets. But it can’t be bought through IRCTC site. The platform ticket is proof that you boarded the train from a certain station and fare will be charged from that particular point up to the destination station. It also clarifies the intention of a passenger that she/he is willing to travel with a valid ticket and due to an emergency failed to buy a travel ticket. Pic: Platform ticket (to be embedded in the copy) All you need to know if you’re travelling with a platform ticket

• A passenger needs to procure a Guard’s certificate of permission on the basis of platform ticket.
•  Or, if in a hurry or due to want of time, one can directly board the train and get the required procedure done under the rules.
• A Guard’s certificate of permission is required to travel on a platform ticket and it’s issued by the guard, conductor or other categories of staff on duty as notified by the Railways.
• When a passenger owing to want of time is unable to purchase a ticket; Guard’s Certificates will be issued in such cases at stations where platform tickets are issued, only on production of valid platform tickets.
• A Guard’s certificate is a provisional authority to travel on a platform ticket.
• It’s issued by the Guard before incurring any charge.
• The certificate is to be produced before the TTE to get a valid travel ticket.

What you need to do after boarding the train

• Once a passenger boards a train with a platform ticket, she/he must ensure to inform the train ticket examiner (TTE) at the earliest possible.
• The TTE issues a ticket to travel up to the destination. A passenger shall have to pay the requisite fare and an additional Rs 250 penalty depending on the class one travels.
• The fare will be charged from the station (mentioned on platform ticket) to the destination station, a passenger wants to reach.
• The ticket issued to a passenger will allow him to travel but won’t guarantee reservation of a seat or a berth. It depends on availability.

A word of caution A passenger shouldn’t try to have some adventure by travelling only with a platform ticket. If the TTE prima facie finds a passenger intentionally doing so (not getting his platform ticket converted into a travel ticket), the passenger will be fined. The fine can be up to Rs 1,260. One can also be punishable with imprisonment for a term, which may extend to six months. There can also be fine and imprisonment both.