Mumbai’s busy local train system, used by over 8 million people every day, now has a helpful digital tool called the Yatri app. It gives real-time train updates and works closely with Central and Western Railway under Indian Railways.
The app was started in 2021 by two sisters, Reeva Sakaria and Lakhi Sakaria Chowdhary, through their family business, CDP India Pvt Ltd. The idea came during the Covid-19 lockdown, when people found it very hard to get correct train information. After testing for about 15 months, the app was officially launched in July 2022. Recently, Central Railway extended its partnership with Yatri till March 2031, showing strong trust in the platform.
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Smart Technology and Useful Features
Yatri stands out because it does not depend on user updates. Instead, it uses special GPS devices fitted inside trains to give accurate, real-time tracking. This works across both new AC trains and older local trains in Mumbai. The app also uses Artificial Intelligence to predict train arrival times and detect delays. It uses Natural Language Processing to turn complex railway messages into simple alerts for users.
Today, Yatri has around 2.5 to 3 million users. It helps people plan journeys across trains, metro, buses, ferries, and more. Users can also book metro tickets through ONDC directly in the app. Other features include Yatri Chat, where commuters share live updates, offline timetable access, voice commands, and a Women Safety Mode with SOS support that works even without internet.
Issues, User Feedback and Future Growth
Even with its popularity, the app has faced some problems. In November 2023, Western Railway took action against the app after it failed to update train cancellations during night work, which caused trouble for many passengers. Users have also complained about too many ads, especially video ads that play when they quickly need to check train timings. Some people have reported ticket booking issues, like payments being made but no QR code generated.
Yatri is a self-funded startup that earns through ads, ticketing, and data partnerships. It currently does not charge commission on tickets but may introduce a sharing model later. The app has already expanded beyond Mumbai to cities like Pune, Bengaluru, Delhi, Kanpur, and Kochi. In the future, it plans to work with over 80 transport operators and grow across 25 cities in India.