E-Ticket vs I-Ticket

When ordering tickets online in India, you can opt between getting an E-Ticket or an I-Ticket. Although the end result is still the same, there are major differences between the two that can sway the decision from one to the other. The main difference between an E-Ticket and an I-Ticket is how you get the ticket. With an E-Ticket, you receive an electronic form that you print and carry with you while with an I-Ticket, the actual ticket is produced and then sent to you via a courier.

The most direct consequence for this is the difference between the booking date and actual travel date. With an I-Ticket, you need to book at least two days before the actual date of travel to give time for the tickets to be mailed to you. You should also make sure that the address is easy to find and that there is someone there to receive the ticket. Since you just print the E-Ticket, there is no associated delays. You can even book on the day of travel and just bring the printout with you.

But to ensure that the person bringing the E-Ticket is the one that booked it, you need to bring the identification papers you supplied when booking. This is used to confirm your identity. With an I-Ticket, you need not present identification papers as the tickets would serve that purpose.

You also need to consider that an I-Ticket is more expensive due to the cost of delivering the ticket to your location. The only additional cost of an E-Ticket is the cost of printing it which so small to be considered significant. In general, given the same destinations, an E-Ticket would usually cost less than an I-Ticket.

Lastly, you need to consider the situation where you might need to cancel the ticket for whatever reason. With an E-Ticket, cancellation is very easy and takes effect instantly. Not so with an I-Ticket, especially when the tickets have been sent. The process is a bit more difficult and time consuming not to mention the fact that you would get less of your money back.

Summary:

1.E-Tickets are printed while I-Tickets are mailed.
2.An E-Ticket requires that you present a form of identification while an I-Ticket does not.
3.E-Tickets can be used immediately while I-Tickets cannot.
4.An E-Ticket is cheaper than an I-Ticket.
5.E-Tickets can be cancelled online while I-Tickets cannot.

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