IRCTC RuPay Pre-Paid Debit Card: Benefits, Charges, How to Buy
On 24March2015 IRCTC in collaboration with Union Bank of India (UBI) launched IRCTC RuPay Debit Card exclusively for booking train tickets on railway portal. RuPay card is India’s first payment gateway system launched by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). This is the first card in India offering virtual and physical options for the customers. Currently customers make use of debit or credit card or netbanking for booking train tickets. RuPay pre-paid card will be another payment method.
RuPay is very similar to Visa, Master Card which are offered by foreign companies. Check out difference between RuPay card and Visa/Mastercard
Benefits of IRCTC RuPay prepaid card:
- You can book railway tickets India railway website portal: https://www.irctc.co.in/
- For first six months, there would be no transaction charge. i.e. you can make 5 bookings per card every month on Indian rail website for the initial 6 months of buying the card.
- After free usage is over, Rs. 10 will be levied as a transaction charge on every train ticket booking.
- Accident insurance of Rs. 2, 00, 000 will be provided to the full KYC card holder which is the most important benefit to the consumers.
- There will be reward points on each transaction which is similar to the ones offered by credit and debit cards which people use currently.
- The card can also be used to shop online and make bill payments and at places where cash card is required for making cashless transactions.
- Payments for booking railway tickets can be done quickly
- Card can be reloaded 24*7
Read more about the various offers on RuPay debit card.
There are two options offered of this card: Physical and Virtual.
- Virtual Card: Requires partial KYC details and is valid for 1 year with a maximum card limit of Rs.10, 000. This card is offered for free. Once you apply for this card, the credentials would be sent on your registered E-mail ID which can then be used for booking the train tickets. Read more about Virtual RuPay card
- Physical Card: Requires partial KYC which is valid for 1 year with a maximum card limit of Rs.10, 000. And if full KYC details are provided, validity is 3 years and maximum card limit is Rs. 50, 000. Once you apply, physical card would be sent to your registered mailing address. Once the card expires, user has to apply for a new card.
Is the card free? Virtual card is FREE whereas Physical card carries a charge of Rs.50.
Loading or Recharge Limit: Minimum top-up is of Rs.500 and maximum of Rs.10, 000 when partial KYC details are provided and Rs.50, 000 when full KYC details are provided.
Do you need bank account at Union Bank of India to get RuPay card: No. There is no need to have bank account at UBI.
How to purchase RuPay Pre-Paid Debit Card?
You can get this card by following 2 ways:
- Applying online on IRCTC website
- Visiting personally at UBI offices
Comparison RuPay card with debit/credit card:
- Many a times payment processing through debit/credit card or netbanking is very time consuming and due to poor connectivity, booking fails many a times. However payment through pre-paid debit card will be faster.
- Since every transaction will take place within India, service charge levied on banks would be very less. Currently most of the banks use Visa/Mastercard payment system having higher charges since processing is done in foreign country.
- Banks does not have to pay quarterly fees for RuPay card as required by Visa/AmEx/Mastercard
Read more details about RuPay card.
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Ankur
I am using this card for last more than 6 Months. After using it I can say that This is pure “USELESS” card Have No Special Benefit . Following is long list of cons using
UBI Prepaid Card :
1) Nothing like prepaid card. Every time Payment procedure is just like traditional Credit/Debit Cards. NO Fast Processing.
2) Transaction Fee Discount Never Received. Fake Promise .
2) Tatkal Booking Not Possible Using This Card.
3) You should always have more than booking amount available in prepaid card. You can’t make remaining payment from Other payment option as given is paytem and other wallets.
4) Due to above reason it become cumbersome process to pay using UBI Card because every time you need to check balance otherwise you cant book ticket.
5) There is no cleaner exit way. At the time of closing card they will charge 100 Rs.
6) You cant use this card other that IRCTC Ticket Booking . Even Tatkal Booking is not possible.
7) Many Security Flaws. Not Safe . Hackable .
8) Money Get Blocked in Card Cant Use Residual amount in Card .
9) Min Recharge Option is 500.
Anshul Vyas
Exactly..!!! Really useless thing on irctc portal.. You cant book tatqal tickets. I tried more than five time for book a ticket.. Everytime it shows the loading message . After waiting for 8-10 minutes,It shows “The transaction was timed out” . I just blocked my money in this useless card.. Now have no way to get my money back. Neithe i can book tickets nor i can get refund.
If anybody has the solution for this.. Please reply..!!
sathishkumar
i will try to apply rupay prepaid card but name is the trouble. i have entered the name as it is in pan card but it shown pop up of NAME AS IT ON THE PAN CARD. wat can i do for this?
Mohammedhanif
I had applied for vitual card and i got all the details of my virtual card please can u tell can i switch from vitual card to physical card
anil kumar
when iam applying rupay card thru irctc , its shows that name should be similar in pan card , although the name is similary wiriteen oftenly the message is coming .
kindly guide what to do next
V Arunachalam
I need to apply for a card with proper kyc kindly get in touch
G.PRASAD RAO
how to apply the rupay card? please send me the details.