IRCTC Rail Connect

The existing Rail Connect app works, but it has usability problems that anyone who has booked a ticket in a hurry will recognise. This case study covers a redesign of the booking flow, based on my own experience as a regular user.

A simplified colour scheme. A clean palette without gradients gives a clutter-free interface and lets the content lead.

• Sign-in. The option for visually impaired users is now its own button, separate from the general sign-in, so nobody has to guess which path is theirs.
• Visually impaired sign-in. Bold dark outlines and larger text raise the contrast and make the form easier to read.

• Services in groups. Services sit under clear headings with uniform icons, so the home page can be scanned.
• Simpler train search. Plain From and To fields, a clear date field, extra filters as pills, and class preferences in a dropdown.
• Station tags. Every station in a city carries that city’s tag, such as “Vadodara”, as a quick reference while searching.

• A scrollable date strip at the top makes comparing nearby dates quick.
• Collapsible cards give each train a clean summary. Tags such as “fastest” and “cheapest” help with quick decisions, and the expanded card shows classes with colour-coded availability.

• Review journey. Separate cards make the details easy to take in and reduce the mental load.
• Payment. A straightforward page, so paying is the easy part.
• Confirmation. A green banner you recognise instantly, tidy information cards, and the ticket download within easy reach.

Looking back, the biggest gap in this project is testing. A redesign like this needs to be tried by real users, including people with different needs, and then improved again.

On future projects I want to work closely with developers and use data to make decisions, so that each update is a measurable improvement rather than a tidier screen.