Indian Railways Launches 'Lucky Yatra' to Reward Honest Commuters

In an innovative effort to curb ticketless travel and promote responsible commuting, the Mumbai Division of Central Railways has launched Lucky Yatra—a campaign that transforms every valid train ticket into a chance to win exciting rewards.

With over 7.5 million commuters travelling daily on Mumbai’s local trains, the issue of ticketless travel continues to result in significant revenue losses. To tackle this challenge, Indian Railways has taken a creative turn—tapping into India’s love for luck and lotteries. With Indians spending over $28 billion on lottery tickets annually, Lucky Yatra turns each train ticket into a potential prize-winning opportunity.

Conceptualised by FCB India, the campaign encourages commuters to travel with valid tickets by linking each one to a daily cash prize. It’s a behavioural nudge that moves the narrative from punishment to possibility.

“By shifting the conversation from penalty to possibility, Lucky Yatra is reshaping how passengers view train tickets,” said Rakesh Menon, chief creative officer, FCB Interface(Part of FCB India). “No longer just a fare—it’s a chance to win big, demonstrating the power of creative commerce to spark change.”

To amplify the campaign, Radio Mirchi has been onboarded as the official media partner.

To ensure millions of daily commuters saw and heard about the initiative, Preeti Nihalani, COO, Entertainment Network India Limited said, “ Radio Mirchi has the widest reach across urban India and a loyal listener base that tunes in daily. Mirchi isn’t just radio—it’s a habit. Partnering with Indian Railways on an initiative that rewards good behaviour felt like a natural extension of our “Mirchi sunnewale always khush” values. Lucky Yatra turns every train ticket into a reason to smile. With Mirchi’s influence, we knew we could spread this joyful, purposeful message far and wide.”

The initiative is being promoted through OOH at railway stations, digital platforms, on-train messaging, and radio—ensuring Lucky Yatra reaches millions of daily commuters across the city.