Enhancing long-distance journeys through a user-focused railway app
Project type
Mobile Application Design
Project date
09 April 2023
Project duration
1 month
This project aimed to improve the in-train experience for long-distance travelers on India’s premium trains. The app simplifies service access, from porter bookings to on-platform food orders, ensuring greater comfort, security, and convenience throughout the journey.
The Challenge
India’s premium trains give travelers more comfort than regular ones, but many services are still scattered. Hiring a porter (coolie) or ordering food from a station stall before the train arrives is not simple and usually done last minute.
This project focused on bringing all these services into one easy app, so premium passengers can feel special and well cared for, enjoying more convenience than regular travelers.
Research & Insights
We started by looking at how premium travelers currently manage their journey. With the high footfall at every station, carrying luggage and moving between platforms can become stressful and confusing. Even with confirmed bookings, passengers often face challenges like finding the right platform, managing heavy bags, and accessing services quickly.
Talking to frequent train passengers revealed three clear needs:
Ease and speed – Services should reduce effort, especially with luggage and platform changes.
Comfort and exclusivity – Travelers expect an experience that feels premium compared to regular trains.
Trust and safety – Knowing their requests are handled reliably gives them peace of mind.
These insights shaped the idea of one simple app that brings porters(coolie), food, and key services into a single platform.
Design Approach & Process
Once we understood the challenges, the focus was clear to make the travel experience lighter, faster, and easier for premium passengers. The design approach was built around three things:
Simplicity first – The app had to feel natural and quick to use, even in a busy station environment.
Visual clarity – Large buttons, clean layouts, and clear service options for stress-free booking.
Premium feel – Every detail needed to make travelers feel cared for, with a touch of exclusivity.
We started with rough sketches, turning ideas into wireframes that showed how porter bookings and food orders could be handled in just a few taps. These were tested and refined before creating high-fidelity designs, making sure everything stayed focused on speed and convenience.
Key Features
Porter Booking (Coolie) – Easily arrange for a porter before you arrive at the station so your luggage is handled without stress.
Food Orders from Station Stalls – Pre-book snacks and meals from selected vendors, ready to pick up when your train stops.
Simplified Navigation – Clear, straightforward service flow within the app so users never feel lost while accessing features.
Premium Experience – Focused on convenience and exclusivity, offering services not commonly available on regular trains.
Hassle-Free Transactions – Simple booking confirmations and smooth in-app process to make everything quick and reliable.
Final Output & Learnings
Delivered a clean, premium mobile app for travelers, making porter bookings and food orders easy and quick. Focused on speed, clarity, and convenience to match premium expectations.
Key Learnings:
🧳 Design for real needs: Managing luggage and services in crowded stations is the biggest challenge.
✂️ Less is more: Few but high-value features worked best.
✅ Trust builds experience: Clear confirmations make users feel secure.
🌟 Premium can be simple: Doing basics exceptionally well feels exclusive.
Impact
🚀 Simplified journeys – Travelers could book porters and food quickly, reducing stress at busy stations.
⏱ Saved time – Services ready before arrival meant fewer last-minute hassles.
🌟 Premium feel – Offered convenience that matched the expectations of high-value passengers.
💡 Scalable concept – The design approach can be adapted for other railway or travel services.
Reflection & Takeaways
Working on this project taught me:
Empathy is key – Even premium users face stress at stations; designing for comfort matters.
Focus drives value – Fewer, useful features beat overloaded apps.
Clarity wins – Simple flows make people trust the product.
Context matters – Designing for railway travel meant balancing speed, convenience, and security.
