In this blog post we will cover how to book a train tickets in advance. With increasing population in India it becomes really difficult to go to someplace without pre booking your tickets whether its train or plane. You can book your ticket in advance and set reminder to your favorite calenders like Apple calender, Google, Outlook, Yahoo.
Where to book train ticket ?
In order to book train ticket you can use their official website or their mobile application. If you prefer third party application then you can easily book using MakeMyTrip, RedBus, ixigo.
Tickets can be booked 60 days prior to your journey date. Earlier it was 120 days but recently IRCTC changed it to 60 days. For the urgent requirement you can book it 1 day before your journey using tatkal ticket. Although its safe to book your tickets 60 days prior to your journey because tatkal ticket availability depends on real time demand.
Time for booking tickets in advance using IRCTC website / mobile app:
Ticket reservation starts at 12:20 (Night) AM. Its available till 11:45 (Night) PM. Website / app goes into maintainance mode from 11:45 PM to 12:20 AM. Tickets cant be booked during that time.
Booking ticket at railway station platform:
Railway station platform ticket booking starts at 8:00 (morning) AM and it ends at 8 PM (evening).Tatkal ticket booking time
Tatkal ticket provide an option for travelers to book train journey on short notice. The availability of these tickets totally depends on real time demand and how many tickets have already been sold. Tatkal tickets can be devided into 2 types:- 1. AC Tatkal Tickets
You can book your AC tatkal ticket between 10 AM - 10:30 AM for al AC classes (1A.2A,3A,CC,EC,3E). It can be booked one day prior to the journey date.
- 2. Non AC Tatkal Tickets
Non-AC tatkal tickets can be booked between 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM (Sleeper, 2S). Similar to AC tickets you can book Non-AC tickets 1 day before your journey date.
š Train ticket cancellation charges and rules:
Following tables explain cancellation rules for e-tickets booked via the IRCTC website or mobile app
Cancellation Charges for Confirmed Tickets
Time Before Departure | Deduction / Charge |
|---|---|
| Flat Cancellation Charge (per passenger): |
ā¹240/- (Executive Class) | |
ā¹180/- (AC Chair Car / AC 2 Tier / First Class) | |
ā¹120/- (AC 3 Tier / AC 3 Economy / AC First Class) | |
ā¹60/- (Sleeper Class / Second Sitting) | |
48 Hours ā 12 Hours | 25% of the total fare (subject to minimum flat charge) |
12 Hours ā 4 Hours | 50% of the total fare (subject to minimum flat charge) |
< 4 Hours | NO REFUND |
š« Cancellation Charges for Waitlisted and Partially Confirmed Tickets
Ticket Status | Time Limit for Cancellation/TDR Filing | Deduction / Refund Rule |
|---|---|---|
Fully Waitlisted e-ticket | Up to 4 hours before departure (or automatically after charting) | ā¹20/- Clerkage charge per passenger (if cancelled manually). Automatic cancellation after charting results in a full refund. |
Partially Confirmed e-ticket | Up to 4 hours before departure (or up to 30 mins after charting) | ā¹20/- Clerkage charge per passenger (for all passengers). File TDR for waitlisted portion within 72 hours of arrival. |
RAC e-ticket | Up to 30 minutes before scheduled departure | ā¹60/- Clerkage charge per passenger. No refund if cancelled after the 30-minute limit. |
š TDR Filing Deadlines for Specific Scenarios
Reason for TDR Filing | Time Limit/Rules |
|---|---|
Train running more than 3 hours late and passenger didn't travel | TDR must be filed before the actual departure time of the train at the boarding station. |
Train fully cancelled by railway administration | Automatic full refund; no cancellation or TDR filing is required by the passenger. |
AC Failure during journey | Within 20 hours of actual arrival time at the destination station. (Requires TTE certificate). |
Train Diverted/Not touching Boarding Station and passenger didn't travel | Up to 72 hours from the scheduled departure time of the train at the boarding station. |
Passenger traveled in lower class due to unavailability of booked class | Within 2 days of issuing the certificate by the ticket checking staff (TTE). (For fare difference refund). |