News
Railways introduces strict checks to derail ticket touts
View(s):- New policy requires locals to show their NICs and foreigners to present their passports when purchasing reserved tickets
By Tharushi Weerasinghe
Sri Lanka Railways has introduced a mandatory identification verification system for all reserved train ticket bookings, to curb black market resales and inflated ticket prices.
Under the new policy, which took effect on August 15 and will be fully enforced from September 1, Sri Lankan passengers must provide their National Identity Card (NIC) number, while foreign nationals are required to give their passport number when booking tickets online or at railway counters. Both groups must present the original documents during boarding and ticket checks.
Ella station: Favourite holiday destination among foreigners. Pic by Prasad Rukmal
“The platform has not changed — the mechanism has,” General Manager Railways Ravindra Pathmapriya said, noting that the new rules make passports and NICs compulsory for seat reservations. “The person with the credentials has to be the one who travels. Under the Railway Act, travelling with an invalid ticket is illegal. What we have done is make this 100% implementable from September 1.”
He explained that the measure is aimed at tackling the bulk buying of tickets by agents, who resell them to tourists at exorbitant rates, especially on sought-after routes such as the Kandy–Ella route.
Until September 1, interim measures are in place to accommodate tourists who may have bought tickets through agents. If the original purchase cannot be verified but the same seats remain available, they will be allowed to buy those tickets again. “If it isn’t in our system, we have no way of confirming it. We don’t permit locals in such cases, but we let tourists go because we want to conserve tourism,” he said.
Many tourists expressed their discontent over the matter on social media, as some who had bought the tickets at significantly higher rates were disconcerted at having to buy the tickets again. But Mr. Pathmapriya insisted it was a necessary move to improve services for tourists in the long run. “If we permit this, the mafia wins. Agents dupe their customers and the government,” Mr. Pathmapriya said, adding that investigations are underway to identify those repeat offenders. He added that the interim systems were in place to ease some of the inconvenience faced by foreigners travelling by railway. Locals who cannot produce the ID document with the number on their online booking will not be allowed to travel at all.
Online reservations can still be made via the Mobitel app or through customer care, while 52 railway stations across the country are authorised to book tickets at counters. Mr. Pathmapriya noted that although ID numbers were always a required field in bookings, some passengers entered fake details. “Now, we only issue the ticket to the holder of the identity document,” he said.
The policy applies only to reserved seats on intercity, long-distance, and premium services across all routes. Unreserved ticket sales remain unaffected.
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!