TheCable

Rotimi Amaechi, the minister for transportation, says the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) is only running a test of the electronic ticketing platform.

In a tweet on Wednesday, Amaechi said the ticketing platform will be launched fully next week.

A senior staff of the corporation who also spoke to TheCable on the condition of anonymity said intended passengers still need to purchase tickets at the counter until the launch.

“Yes, we have commenced test bookings on the NRC E-ticketing platform, starting with the Abuja-Kaduna rail line. Next week, we’ll launch fully,” the minister tweeted.

Yes, we have commenced test bookings on the NRC E-ticketing platform, starting with the Abuja-Kaduna rail line. Next week, we'll launch fully. Check it out and make bookings at: https://t.co/bcuXRCbmjL

— Chibuike.R. Amaechi (@ChibuikeAmaechi) January 13, 2021

Attempts by TheCable to book a ticket on the platform did not succeed.

The information available on the platform show that intending passengers would have to provide either one of their voter identity card number or national identification number to register.

Customers have often complained of racketeering and various unpleasant experiences that have made it difficult to purchase tickets.

The Abuja-Kaduna rail line became passenger choice after an increase in kidnapping and attacks on the Abuja-Kaduna road.

In October 2019, Amaechi said the passenger traffic on Abuja-Kaduna railway increased from 1,000 to 3,700.

“The actual number of passengers that the service can take for the sitting capacity is about 1,000 plus, but we are carrying 3,700 people daily,” he explained at the time.

“The reason why we allowed standing on the Abuja-Kaduna train is the insecurity that has made it unbearable to insist on sitting.”