This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use our mobile application.
By using this app, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.
1️⃣ Information We Collect
We collect only the information necessary to provide app functionality.
A. Information You Provide
During registration and profile setup, we may collect:
- Name
- Phone number
- Email address (used for Firebase email authentication only)
- Gender
- Speakable languages
After login:
- Train number (mandatory)
- PNR number (optional)
- Meal preferences (optional)
- Messages and chat metadata
- Device and notification tokens (for push notifications)
👉 We do not collect live location or GPS data.
B. Automatically Collected Information
We may collect limited technical information such as:
- Device type and app version
- App usage events (for performance and crash monitoring)
C. Advertising Data (Google AdMob)
Our app uses Google AdMob, which may collect:
- Advertising ID
- Ad interaction data
- Basic device information
This data is collected and processed according to Google’s privacy policies.
🔗 https://policies.google.com/privacy
Meal Preference Data 🍽️
- Meal preferences are optional and provided voluntarily by the user.
- This data is used only to display preferences to other users within the app.
- We do not share meal preference data with third parties.
Messages & Notifications📩
- Messages are stored securely to enable chat functionality.
- Push notifications are sent only when required, such as when a new message is received.
- Notification tokens are used solely for message alerts and app-related communication.
2️⃣ How We Use Your Information
We use your information to:
- Create and manage user accounts
- Enable chat between co-travellers
- Display journey-related content
- Manage chat limits and reward-based credits
- Improve app safety through reporting
- Display ads and rewarded ads
- Provide customer support
3️⃣ Authentication & Data Storage
- Authentication is handled via Firebase Email Authentication
- We do not store passwords
- Data is securely stored using Firebase services
4️⃣ Rewarded Ads & Chat Credits
- Users can chat freely with up to 3 users per train journey
- To chat with more users, a rewarded ad may be shown
- Watching a rewarded ad grants chat credits
- Credits can be viewed in the Settings page
- Credits have no monetary value and are non-transferable
5️⃣ Data Sharing
We do not sell or rent personal data.
Data may be shared only with:
- Firebase (authentication & database)
- Google AdMob (advertising services)
- Legal authorities, if required by law
6️⃣ User Controls & Choices
Users can:
- Edit their profile information
- Skip entering PNR (optional)
- Report other users
- Delete chat connections
- Delete their account directly from the app settings
Upon deletion, associated user data will be removed as per our retention policies.
Note : Train Buddy is not affiliated with or endorsed by IRCTC.
All journey details are user-provided.
7️⃣ Data Security
We use reasonable security measures, including:
- Secure Firebase infrastructure
- Restricted access controls
However, no online system is completely secure.
8️⃣ Children’s Privacy
This app is not intended for users under 18 years of age.
We do not knowingly collect data from minors.
9️⃣ Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically.
Any changes will be reflected on this page with an updated date.
Continued use of the app means acceptance of the updated policy.
🔟 Contact Us
If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, contact us at:
📧 support@trainbuddy.in