BENGALURU: From November 1, Metro commuters need not stand in long queues just for single-journey tickets, but can instead buy them through WhatsApp or the Namma Metro app. A discount of 5 per cent on the token fare will be given for the digital tickets, which will be launched on Tuesday to mark Kannada Rajyotsava.
To book tickets through WhatsApp, commuters should save the official BMRCL chatbot number 810 555 66 77 and send a message like ‘hi’. The chatbot is available for both Android and iOS in both Kannada and English languages.
The following features are available on the chatbot -- option to converse in English and Kannada, purchase of QR tickets, recharge of Metro Smart Cards, journey planner (to locate the nearest Metro station, train departure timings at different stations and fare info between two stations), customer feedback and native payment experiences through WhatsApp UPI for quick and seamless payments.
To buy tickets through the Namma Metro app, commuters with an Android operating system should download the app from the Google Play Store and register themselves. The entry and destination stations need to be specified to get a QR ticket. “Such QR tickets on the mobile phone must be flashed at the QR readers of the automatic fare gates at both the entry and exit stations,” an official release said.
The validity of the mobile QR tickets will last till the end of the revenue service for the day. However, if the commuter decides not to travel, the ticket can be cancelled and the amount will be refunded. “BMRCL is the first Metro in the global transit space to introduce an end-to-end system on WhatsApp,” an official release stated.