Advance Reservation

To help you plan your journey well in

advance, Indian Railways offer you the
facility of Advance Reservation. About 97%
of the advance reservation centres are
computerised, making it possible for you to
book your ticket from anywhere to
anywhere. Given below are the answers to
your questions on advance reservation,
changes in travel plans, booking of special
trains/carriages, etc.

Can I book a ticket from Nagpur to Bangalore at Howrah? the berth/seat/compartment and be punishable with fine which may extend
Yes, you can. In fact, you can book your ticket for any train on the Indian to five hundred rupees.
Railways network, from any originating station to any destination* at any of How can I board a train in the reserved coach if I am not able to get a
the Computerised Reservation Centres, across the country. With the waitlisted ticket?
network of Passenger Reservation Systems, you can now book your onward Yes. If you don't have any ticket, you may approach the Train
and return journey tickets from any Computerised Reservation Centre Superintendent/ TTE after purchasing an unreserved ticket from the booking
nearest to you - not just from major railway stations. This networking makes office as specified in the following table. The TTE will allot the
reservation of tickets faster and simpler. accommodation, subject to availability.
Reserved tickets can also be obtained by accessing the website Category of Train Class of Travel Min. Class of Ticket
www.irctc.co.in. Payments can be made directly through the website. required for boarding the
Please follow the instructions posted on the website. train at originating and
*Reservations can be made subject to distance restrictions and availability of intermediate Stations
quotas i) Rajdhani/Shatabdi IA, FC, 2A, 3A, ACC 1st Class Ordinary
How many days in advance can I reserve my ticket? ii) Jan Shatabdi ACC 2S 1st Class Ordinary 2nd
You can reserve your ticket 120 days in advance, excluding the date of Mail/Express
journey at the train originating station. At intermediate stations where the iii) Mail/Express FC, IA, 2A, 3A, 1st Class Ordinary 2nd
train arrives the following day, reservation can be done 121days in advance. CC, SL, 2S Mail/Express
In the case of some intercity day express trains, the advance reservation
iv) Garib Rath Express 3A, CC 2nd Mail/Express
period is less. Special Trains are planned by
Railways where ARP varies from 10 to 60 v) Double Decker Executive Class 1st Class Ordinary
days. Such Trains may have a higher fare AC Chair Car AC Chair Car ticket
than normal Trains through UTS
How do I know the reservation status of However, in case you have a second class ticket and could not get
my ticket? reservation in sleeper class and desire to travel in any upper class, you may
The reservation status will be clearly approach the on-board ticket checking staff, who can upgrade your ticket
indicated in your ticket. If your ticket is accordingly subject to availability of accommodation except in
confirmed, your coach and berth numbers Rajdhani/Shatabdi Express trains.
will be mentioned on your ticket in all classes How do I find out the current status of my unconfirmed ticket?
other than First Class and AC First Class. You can contact the Reservation Enquiry Counters at your nearest
For these, the the word "Confirmed", will be printed alongside the class of Computerised Reservation Centre or call the Interactive Voice Response
travel. If your ticket is in RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation)/ Waitlisted System, available at major stations. Remember to always quote the 10 digit
status, the same will be mentioned on the ticket. PNR Number indicated on the upper left hand corner of your ticket, to find out
Note: Passengers are requested to kindly note that while every effort will be the current status.
made to ensure a comfortable, hassle-free journey, Indian Railways are not The current status of your ticket can also be obtained from the Indian Railways
liable to compensate a passenger due to non-provision of reserved Passenger Information Website: www.indianrailways.gov.in. and www.
accommodation or for any losses suffered due to late running of trains and indianrail.gov.in This site also provides real-time information relating to
other such unintended eventualities which are not wilful or deliberately availability of seats (and berths in a train even between a pair of stations),
perpetrated. timetable and train fares etc. For general information on Indian Railways,
Can I board the train with an RAC? passengers can access the Indian Railways Website : www.indianrailways.
gov.in and www.indianrail.gov.in
You can board the train with an RAC ticket. You will be provided with sitting
accommodation initially and allotted a berth (in case of passengers not Indian Railways provide telephonic enquiry services through a universal
turning up) in the train. number “139” which is accessible from any where in the country without dialing
any STD code. This number can be accessed from any type of phone (mobile,
Can I board the reserved coach with Waitlisted Ticket. landline, WLL etc). Information with regard to arrival/departure/running position
Waitlisted ticket passengers are not permitted to board the reserved coaches of trains, accommodation availability, current status of ticket, fare enquiry etc.
if their ticket is not confirmed at the time of prepratation of chart, since no are disseminated through this number. After getting connected to “139”, the
berth/seat has been reserved for his use in these coaches. Such information with regard to arrival/departure of a train at a particular station can
passengers, if found in the reserved coach unauthorisedly, are detrained at be obtained by dialing the train no. and STD code of that station.
the next stoppage of train, if no vacant berth is available, (due to non turn up
Facility of Enquiry by sending SMS on 139
of passengers) to accomodate them. As per Section 155 of Railways Act, if
any passenger, enters a compartment wherein no berth/seat has neen The current status of the ticket, status of arrival/departure of train, availability of
reserved for their use or unauthorisedly occupy a berth/seat reserved for the train accommodation, fare enquiry, etc. can also be obtained by sending SMS
TAG-18

use of another passengers, refuse to leave, he/she shall be removed from to 139. For details kindly visit website www.irctc.co.in

317
 Am I required to carry proof of identity during journey in Reserved vi. Student Identity Card with photograph issued by recognized School/
Classes? College for their students
Any one of the passengers/ the passenger booked on the tickets issued from vii. Nationalised Bank Passbook with photograph and
Computerised Passenger Reservation System (PRS) and internet (i&e ticket), viii. Credit Cards issued by Banks with laminated photograph.
undertaking journey in reserved classes, have to carry anyone of the ten
prescribed proof of identity (in original) during the journey and produce the same ix. Unique Identification Card “Aadhar “ eg.downloaded Aadhar (e-Aadhar &
as and when required failing which all the passengers booked on that ticket will m-Aadhar).
be treated as without ticket and charged accordingly. x. Photo identity cards having serial number issued by Public Sector
The list of valid proofs of identity are as under: Undertakings of State/Central Government, District Administrations,
Municipal bodies and Panchayat Administrations.
i. Voter Photo Identity Card issued by Election Commission of India.
g. Keeping in view the short Advance Reservation Period and with a view to
ii. Passport. make this scheme economically unviable for unscrupulous elements/touts,
iii. PAN Card issued by Income Tax Department. refund rules of the scheme have been made stringent in which no refund is
iv. Driving Licence issued by RTO. granted on the confirmed Tatkal tickets. However, full refund of fare and
Tatkal charges is granted on the tickets booked under Tatkal scheme under
v. Photo Identity Card having serial number issued by Central/ State Gov- certain circumstances like non-attachment of coach, cancellation of train,
ernment. as explained below:-
vi. Student Identity Card with photograph issued by recognized School/ i. If the train is delayed by more than 3 hours at the journey originating point of
College for their Students. the passenger & not the boarding point if the passenger’s journey
vii. Nationalised Bank Passbook with photograph. originating point and boarding point are different.
viii. Credit Cards issued by Banks with laminated photograph. and ii. If the train is to run on a diverted route and passenger is not willing to travel.
ix. Unique identification Card “Aadhar” eg.downloaded Aadhar (e-Aadhar & iii. If the train is to run on diverted route and boarding station or the destination
m-Aadhar). or both the stations are not on the diverted route.
x. Photo identity cards having serial number issued by Public-Sector iv. In case of non attachment of coach in which Tatkal accommodation has
Undertakings of State/Central Government, District Administrations, been earmarked and the passenger has not been provided
Municipal bodies and Panchayat Administrations. accommodation in the same class.
xi. In case of reserved tickets booked through computerised Passen-ger v. If the party has been accommodated in lower class and does not want to
Reservation System(PRS) counters, for undertaking journey in travel. In case the party travels in lower class, the passenger will be given
Sleeper(SL) & Second Reserved Sitting(2S) classes, attested photo-copy refund of difference of fare and also the difference of Tatkal charges, if any.
of Ration Card with photographs and Nationalized Bank Pass-book with h. Tatkal charges have been fixed as a percentage of fare at the rate of 10% of
photograph are also accepted. basic fare for second class and 30% of basic fare for all other classes
Note: The above said provision is not applicable to Tatkal ticket which is subject to minimum and maximum as given in the table below:-
governed by separate instructions.
Class of Minimum Maximum Minimum
Travel Tatkal Charges Tatkal Charges Distance for
Tatkal Scheme (in ` ) (in ` ) charge (in Km)
With a view to provide reservation to those passengers who have to undertake Reserved Second 10 15 100
journey at short notice and to save such passengers from the clutches of Sitting (2S)
unscrupulous elements/touts, Tatkal Reservation Scheme was initially Sleeper 100 200 500
introduced in December, 1997. Initially this scheme was available only in around
110 trains and mainly in Sleeper Class. At that time an extra coach was to be AC Chair Car 125 225 250
attached for this purpose. This scheme was thoroughly revised in August 2004 AC-3 tier 300 400 500
and some modifications were made from time to time. The salient features of AC-2 tier 400 500 500
this scheme as on date are as under:-
Executive 400 500 250
a. Tatkal booking for AC classes opens at 1000 hours on the previous
day of journey excluding date of journey from the train originating Note:
station. For non-AC classes, Tatkal booking starts at 1100 hours
on the previous day of journey excluding date of journey from the
1. In case the total run of the train is less than the distance restriction, end
train originating station. For example, if train is to depart from the fare i.e. from originating to destination station shall be charged.
originating station on the second of the month, the Tatkal quota for that 2. There will be no such restriction for Tatkal scheme in passenger trains.
particular train shall open at 1000/1100 hours on the first of the month. i. Tatkal tickets are issued subject to the applicable distance restrictions.
b. The reservation under this scheme is available only upto the time j. All authorised ticketing agents of Indian Railways/IRCTC have been
of preparation of charts. At the time of preparation of charts, the restricted from booking Tatkal tickets between 1000 hours and 1030
vacant Tatkal accommodation is released to the RAC/waitlisted hours for tickets in AC classes and between 1100 hours and 1130
passengers and no Tatkal charges are realised from such passengers. hours for non-AC classes on the opening day of reservation.
c. The facility of change of name is not permitted on the bookings made under k. It is possible to book a maximum of only four passengers per PNR for
Tatkal scheme. Tatkal tickets.
d. No duplicate Tatkal tickets are issued. Duplicate Tatkal tickets are issued l. The web services agents of IRCTC have been permitted to book only
only in exceptional cases on payment of full fare including Tatkal charges. one Tatkal ticket per train per day on the internet.
e. The reservation under this scheme can be sought by full fare paying m. Powers for earmarking of Tatkal accommodation in different classes
passengers only and no passenger holding concessional ticket is have been delegated to Zonal Railways who take a decision in this
allowed to avail reservation under this scheme. regard keeping in view the utilization pattern in that class during the
f. In case of tickets booked under Tatkal scheme, during the journey, previous financial year as well as availability of accommodation. The
one of the passengers booked on that ticket is required to produce accommodation so earmarked, however, in no case exceed upto
any one of the prescribed proof of identity mentioned below (in maximum of 30% of capacity of coach depending on the utilization of
original), failing which all the passengers booked on that ticket are this quota during the last 6 month period.
considered as travelling without ticket and charged accordingly:- n. Out of the total berth potential of around 14.65 lakhs berths/seats per
i. Voter Photo Identity Card issued by Election Commission of India. day on an average, around 3.02 lakh seats/berths are available for
booking under Tatkal / Premium Tatkal every day i.e. approximately
ii. Passport
20.63% of the total accommodation.
iii. PAN Card issued by Income Tax Department o. Instructions have also been issued to zonal Railways to introduce
iv. Driving Licence issued by RTO Tatkal scheme in the passenger trains in that train/class in which
TAG-18

v. Photo Identity Card issued by Central /State Government average utilisation during the previous financial year has been more
than 60%. The minimum Tatkal charges prescribed for different

318
 classes will be applicable as flat Tatkal charges. All other conditions
applicable to normal Tatkal scheme will be applicable in case of KNOW YOUR TICKET
identified passenger trains.
The Up-gradation Scheme
· With a view to optimise the utilisation of available accommodation in
train, a scheme to upgrade full-fare paying passengers to the higher
class without any extra charge against the available vacant
accommodation is available in almost Mail/Express trains.
· The passengers are required to give the option for being considered
for upgradation. If no option is given at the time of filling up of
requisition form, the same is treated as “yes” and passenger(s) can be
considered for upgradation.
· The passengers for upgradation are selected automatically (except in
cases where the passenger has shown his unwillingness to be
upgraded) on random basis by the System at the time of preparation of
reservation charts.
· All the passengers on a ticket are upgraded together.
·It is not done for block booking transactions. ?
The Passenger Name Record (PNR) Number printed on
your ticket is a unique number. Quote this number to check
· If a passenger, who has been upgraded, cancels his ticket,
cancellation charges of the original class only are payable. It is the status of your ticket.
advisable to avail the facility (by exercising the option in the
affirmative) and always to check the status (coach/ berth numbers) 
Indicates the train number, date of journey, the distance for
before boarding the train. which the ticket is issued and the number of adults and
SALIENT FEATURES OF ALTERNATE TRAIN ACCOMMODATION children on your ticket.
SCHEME - “VIKALP”
· The Alternate Train Accommodation Scheme (ATAS) was launched ?
Refers to the class of accommodation in which you intend to
under the name “VIKALP” on pilot basis only for the tickets booked travel. Such class of accommodation is abbreviated as
through internet on two sectors i.e. Delhi-Jammu and Delhi-Lucknow below.
sectors (November, 2015).
1A-First AC; 2A-2-TierAC Sleeper; 3A-3-TierAC; EC -
· The scheme is applicable to all passengers getting the status of
Executive Class; CC-AC Chair Car; FC-First Class; SL-
waiting list at the time of booking irrespective of booking quota and
concession. Sleeper Class; ll-Second Class Seat.
· This scheme has been expanded to cover all type of trains on all
sectors from 01.04.2017.

Indicates the originating and destination station of your
journey as well as the station up to which you have sought a
· The passengers can exercise the option for getting shifted to a train reservation. The name of such stations are displayed in both
upto 72 hours of scheduled departure of original train in which
English and Hindi.
waitlisted ticket was booked.
· All the passengers booked under the scheme are given an option for 
Indicates the confirmed status of your ticket. Viz. Coach No.
getting alternate accommodation irrespective of the fact whether the A2, Berth/Seat No. 34, Sex: M (Male)/F (Female), Age : 38.
boarding/ destination station of the passenger are originating/
terminating/roadside station. In case you have AC First Class or First Class Ticket, the
coach number or seat/berth number is not displayed. Such
· No extra charges are taken from passenger or any refund is provided
for difference of fare. passengers may ascertain their actual accommodation
status from the Reservation Chart.
· VIKALP opted passengers who remain fully Waitlisted after charting
will only be considered for allotment in the alternate train.
?
Indicatesyourwaitlisted position. Two such waitlist numbers
· Either all passengers of a PNR or none will be transferred to alternate are indicated: the first, is the running waitlist number and
train in same class. The passenger can be considered for shifting to a
the second, the current waitlist number at the time of
train leaving from any station amongst the cluster of stations defined
by Railways based on the convenience of the passengers to a station booking your ticket. The former is unique for a given train,
serving the destination station on the same analogy. date, route and class combination you are travelling on.
· Waitlisted passengers of original train shall not be allowed to board the Please look at the reservation chart with reference to your
original train if allotted alternate accommodation. running waitlist number to instantly ascertain the final
· Passengers once provided alternate accommodation in alternate train status of your ticket.
will be treated as normal passengers in alternate train and will be PQWL, RLWL, RSWL etc. indicate waitlist position of your
eligible for up gradation. ticket. PQ, RL and RS are internal codes used for
· When a VIKALP opted passenger opts to cancel, after he/she has operational reasons.
been given an alternate accommodation, he/she will be treated as a
CONFIRMED passenger and the cancellation rules will apply
accordingly.
?
Indicates the amount paid for your ticket, both in words and
figures. This may include charges such as Concession
· No refund for difference of fare between the original train and the Amount (CONC) Reservation Fee (R Fee), Super Fast
alternate train, including Tatkal charges, if any, will be given to re- Charges (S.CH) and Voucher Charges (Vou. Ch)
allocated passengers or realised from them.
· Once a VIKALP passenger has been allotted alternate ?
A Displays the name of the train, your boarding station and
accommodation, journey modification will not be permitted. the date and time of your travel along with scheduled arrival
· When a passenger who has been allotted alternate accommodation time and date at destination station.
has not performed his journey in the alternate train, he can claim for
refunds by filing a TDR request. ?
Displays the date and time you bought your ticket.
TAG-18

*****

319
 Can I book my tickets through digital payment mode? ARP, the number of coaches of that class varies, the number of
Yes. Point of Sale (PoS) machines have been installed at ticket berths/passengers allowed to be registered does not change.
booking counters to facilitate payment through credit/debit cards. ix. If class itself doesn’t exist once ARP opens, passengers will have
Morever, UPI/BHIM is also accepted as payment mode while to be manually allotted berths/seats in another class by database,
booking tickets through counters. operators as is being done presently.
Can I book my tickets through Mobile Phone? x. The last request being registered is honoured even if the limit
Yes. You can book reserved tickets through mobile phones. The above has to be extended, however, beyond that no request is
procedure for booking is similar to’ that of booking tickets through registered e.g. if the last request received is for 6 passengers and
Internet. For details, please visit www.irctc.co.in there is a scope for registering request for only 3 passengers, the
Can I book my tickets through Travel Agents? above said limit is extended by 3 berths/seats to accommodate
the last request. However, thereafter, no more transactions is
Yes, you can approach authorised Agents, who will book your tickets allowed in that.class beyond ARP.
on payment of prescribed charges. No separate reservation quotas
have been assigned to these agents. xi. In case of cancellation of the tickets booked under this facility by
the passenger flat 50% of the fare is deducted in addition to the
Can I book meals through E-catering? cancellation charges applicable while refunding the amount. The
Yes, E-catering service has been started by Indian Railway Catering time limit for granting 50% refund is as per extant Refund rules i.e.
and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) at all 408 A1 & A Category upto 4 hours before scheduled departure of train for confirmed
Stations and trains without pantry where passengers can book PNRs. Part confirmed/part waitlist will be given refund as per rule
preferred meal of reputed brands through e-catering website as well upto 30 minutes. This rule is applicable for e-tickets as well as
as through phone and SMS. The website address is counter tickets.
www.ecatering.irctc.co.in and phone numbers are 1800-1034-139 xii. No change of name is permissible on such tickets under any
(Toll-free), 0120-4383892-99 (Toll) and SMS MEAL to 139 Further, a condition.
four digit all Indian Toll free no.1323 is operationale along with a
Mobile APP launched for this service. The list of the trains in which e- xiii. Authorised ticketing agents are not allowed to book
catering facility is available are shown in the above website. accommodation under Foreign Tourist Quota.
Are there any special facilities provided by Indian Railways for xiv On the day of opening of reservation as per ARP, the
foreign tourists? accommodation will be released for general booking after
accommodating of such request is registered.
Yes. Foreign tourists who wish to experience Indian by train, can
enjoy the special facilities earmarked for them. These are explained Foreign tourist quota within ARP
below in greater detail: a. This quota is defined by zonal railways based on demand
BOOKING TOURISTS THROUGH INTERNET UPTO 365 DAYS IN pattern.
ADVANCE b. Booking against this quota starts from the day of opening of
i. For booking the, tickets the passport number, Nationality and the reservation in the train as per ARP.
international Mobile no. of the passenger has to be mandatorily c. Accommodation against this quota can be booked within ARP
entered for generation of the ticket. on payment of 1.5 times the base fare.
ii. All tickets are booked on applicable fare and no concession is d. For booking across the counter through FT Quota within ARP,
admissible payment is accepted through any type of mode i.e. Indian
iii. Payment is to be made only through international debit/credit Currency/National/ International Credit/Debit cards. Foreign
cards. An SMS confirming the reservation of the ticket is sent to nationals booking berths under general quota can book ticket
the registered mobile number on normal fare.
iv. The fare is uniformly charged at 1.5 times the base fare by Indian e. The accommodation under this quota is allowed, to be
Railways and 1RCTC collects enhanced charges of’200/- per booked up to the limit of foreign tourist quota defined by the
ticket. Railways subject to the condition that the last party is
accommodated in general quota.if partial accommodation is
v. The passenger who has reserved the ticket under this category available under foreign tourist quota. The fare for the entire
has to carry the original Passport (given at the time of booking party in such case is 1.5 times the base fare.
ticket) with valid visa as identity proof and make it available for
check during the journey. In case the passenger is not able to f. If foreign tourist quota is exhausted, system will not
show the original Passport with valid visa, the passenger is automatically book in GN quota, the passenger has to
treated as without ticket and charged penalty equivalent to 3 explicitly book in General quota on payment of normal fare.
times the fare of the ticket and if passenger fails to pay the penalty, g. No waiting list tickets are issued except in case the last
legal action will be taken against the passenger. request for foreign tourist quota is more than the quota and
vi. Foreign tourists are allowed to register their demand up to 365 there is no accommodation available in general quota at the
days in advance till the train is made open for booking as per time of booking.
Advance Reservation Period (ARP). The limit up to which the h. The unutilised accommodation under foreign tourist quota is
demand of foreign tourists is registered is as under: - released to RAC/ waiting list passengers at the time of
a. Eight berths per FAC b. Four berths per FACCW preparation of first reservation chart.
c. Eight berths per 2A coach d. Ten seats per EC coach Assistance Cells: Major Reservation Centres have special Cells to
help foreign tourists plan their itinerary, reserve their tickets and
vii. The demand is registered for all types of trains. The status on the render any assistance required.
ticket will be “Confirmed”. Coach/Seat/Berth Number will be
allotted on the day of opening of reservation as per ARP except in The International Tourist Bureau situated on the first floor of New
case of First AC in which Coupe/Cabin is allotted at the time of Delhi Railway Station provides personalised service and assistance
preparation of first reservation charts. to foreign tourists and NRIs regarding reservations, itinerary
planning and other enquiries. This Bureau is manned by trained staff
viii. As on the day of registering of requests, no train exists in the and tourist guides, fluent in foreign languages. For any assistance,
system, the composition of the train on that date is taken into please contact: The Manager, International Tourist Bureau, I Floor,
account for allowing the number of berths/seats for which New Delhi Railway Station, New Delhi-110 001. Tel : 011-23405156,
requests are registered e.g. beyond ARP, if there are 04 coaches 23346804. Fax : 011-23343050.
of 2A in a train, then provision is made for registering 4x8 i.e. 32
TAG-18

passengers. In case on the day of opening of reservation as per

320
 Can I extend my Journey beyond the original destination?
Yes, Indian Railways allow extension of journey. This can be done
by approaching the ticket checking staff either before reaching your
destination or after completion of booked journey. The fare for the
extended portion of the journey will be collected without the benefit
of telescopic rates.
Can I upgrade my ticket to a higher class enroute?
Your reserved ticket for a lower class can be upgraded to a higher
class for the same train and date, subject to availability of
accommodation. The upgrading of accommodation can be done
only once on collection of fresh reservation charges and the fare
difference. This can also be done during the journey by
approaching the Travelling Ticket Examiner.
Can my confirmed ticket be transferred to somebody else?
If you are holding a confirmed ticket and are unable to travel, your
ticket can be transferred to your family members viz, father, mother,
brother, sister, son, daughter, husband or wife. To transfer your
ticket, you must submit your request atleast 24 hours in advance of
the scheduled departure of the train.
Be considerate towards your fellow-passengers. Tickets can also be transferred:
Avoid smoking, gambling or creating noisy scenes
in your compartment. Let your travel be a pleasure To another Government Servant travelling on duty, atleast 24 hours In
for others too, not only for yourself. advance of the scheduled departure of the train.

Change in travel plans? Let’s answer your questions... To other students of recognised Educational Institution when the
Principal/Head makes a request atleast 48 hours in advance of the
Can I prepone or postpone my reservation?
scheduled departure of the train.
The date of journey on Confirmed/RAC/waitlisted tickets can be
preponed or postponed in the same/higher class or for the same To other members of the marriage party, if the head of such a party
destination on payment of prescribed charges. This facility can be makes a request atleast 48 hours in advance of the scheduled
availed only once, irrespective of whether the accommodation departure of the train. To other cadets of NCC, if the head of the group
available is reserved or RAC or Waitlisted. makes a request atleast 24 hours in advance of the scheduled
If you want to prepone or postpone the date of your journey, you departure of the train. Such changes can be made only once - if the
should surrender your tickets during working hours of reservation request does not exceed 10% of the total number of group members.
office atleast forty eight hours before the scheduled departure of
the train in which originally booked subject to restriction during Ist Circular Journey Tickets. Reserving special carriages.
hour of advance reservation period opening if any. Booking a train... Let’s help you out.
Can I change the boarding station? What are Circular Journey Tickets ?
Yes, you can. All you have to do is submit a written request to the
Station Manager of the original boarding station or contact any If you wish to go on a pilgrimage or sightseeing trip to many
Computerised Reservation Centre, at least 24 hours before the destinations, Indian Railways provide the facility of booking Circular
departure of the train. However, no refund is permissible for the Journey Tickets. These tickets offer you unique travel flexibility, as
unused portion of the journey. The change of station once made will they are issued for all journeys (other than regular routes) which begin
be final i.e. in case a passenger has changed the boarding point, and end at the same station. Circular Journey Tickets can be
he/she will loose all rights to board the train from the original
purchased for Second & Sleeper Classes. A maximum of eight break
boarding point. If found travelling without any proper authority to
travel, he/she will have to pay fare with penalty between original of journeys will be admissible on these tickets. Endorsements for
boarding point to changed boarding point. break journeys are not needed.
Can I break my Journey at any Intermediate station? Standard Circular Journey Tickets are also offered by Zonal
If you hold a journey ticket for more than 500 kms, you can break Railways. These cover popular destinations for the convenience of
your journey once for two days at any station enroute. This facility tourists. The details of route, fare etc., for these tickets can be
can be availed only after travelling 500 kms from the starting obtained from nominated stations in each Zonal Railway. You can
station. If your ticket is for more than 1000 kms, you will be allowed purchase these tickets if any one of the standard routes suits your
to break your journey twice. convenience. Otherwise you can inform the Zonal Railways about
The day of arrival and departure must be excluded while calculating your itinerary and Circular Journey Tickets can be drawn up to suit
the number of eligible days for break of journey. And remember to your requirements. This facility is available only in Second & Sleeper
get your ticket endorsed by the Station Manager/Ticket Collector Classes.
at the station where you intend to break your journey.
Note: This facility is not available to passenger travelling by What are the advantages of booking a Circular Journey Ticket?
Rajdhani/ Shatabdi/Jan Shatabdi Express trains. Circular Journey Tickets give you the benefit of telescopic rates,
This facility is not permitted short of the station up to which are considerably lower than regular point-to-point fare. These
which reservation has been done. rates are calculated on Mail/Express Fares.
Intention to break journey is to be advised at the time of
With these tickets, you not only save time but also the Inconvenience
TAG-18

original booking and not after obtaining reservation.

of booking tickets for each leg of the journey.

321
 What is the booking procedure for Circular journey Tickets? Allowance varies for different classes of travel. Children aged 5 and
below 12 years are allowed half of the Free Allowance subject to the
Once your itinerary is finalised, you can approach the Divisional
maximum of 50kg. You are also permitted a Marginal Allowance as
Commercial Managers of the Division or Station Managers of certain
indicated in the table.
major stations to which the journey commencing station belongs.

The Divisional Commercial Manager or the station authorities will Class Maximum Free Marginal
then calculate the cost of the tickets based on your itinerary. He will Limit Allowance Allowance
(Kgs) (Maximum for luggage
also inform the Station Manager concerned of the same, in the
Limit)
prescribed format. You can purchase Circular Journey Tickets by
presenting this form at the Booking Office of the station from where AC First Class 150 70 kgs. 15 kgs
you propose to start your journey. After purchasing the Circular
AC 2-Tier Sleeper/ 100 50 kgs. 10 kgs.
Journey Ticket, you must approach the Reservation Office to
First Class
reserve your accommodation for various laps of your journey. You will
then be issued reserved tickets for the journey. AC 3-Tier Sleeper/ 40 40 kgs. 10 kgs.
AC Chair Car
How do I book-a special tourist car/coaches/saloons/ special
trains on Full Tariff Rates. Sleeper Class 80 40 kgs. 10 kgs.
(Exp/Ordinary)
All the trains/coaches/saloons, etc. on Full Tariff Rates (FTR) shall
Second Class 70 35 kgs. 10 kgs.
now be booked through single widnow booking system by Indian
(Exp/Ordinary)
Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). Any
Individual/party/Government agency desirous of booking Luggage beyond the above quantity can be booked in
trains/coaches on FTR can register online directly or approach
advance and carried in the brake-van.
IRCTC’s Regional/Headquarters’ Office, through mail, telephone, etc.
IRCTC will co-ordinate with Railways for booking of special What if my luggage exceeds the Free Allowance?
trains/coaches on FTR and shall levy facilitation charge @ 5% of the
total fare for booking of special trains/coaches/saloons on FTR on If your luggage marginally exceeds the Free Allowance, you
behalf of the individual/ party/Government agency, etc. for co- will be charged at normal rates. Above marginal allowance
ordination work which include registration of indent, obtaining
penalty will be charged, if detected. Make sure to book your
confirmation from Railways, getting the rate advice from the
nominated Officer/staff of nominated stations and in turn advise the
excess baggage in the Luggage Office, pay the prescribed
fare to party/individual/Govt. agency, deposit of fares, submission of charges and get your tickets endorsed by cross-referencing
the folder/receipts after completion of the journey, cancellation of the luggage ticket details, before commencing your journey.
indent, etc.. Registration of special trains/ coaches/saloons on FTR Please note that Free Allowance is not admissible for articles
shall be made minimum one month in advance and not beyond six such as scooters, cycles, etc.
months of the date of proposed journey. No manual booking/booking
through UTS is permitted. What if my luggage gets stolen en route?
The charges applicable are as under:- In case of theft of luggage, robbery/dacoity in running trains,
(a) Security Deposit @ of Rs. 50,000/- per coach. you can approach train conductors/coach attendants/ guards
or GRP escort. They will give you the FIR Form, which may
(b) Point to point fare on round trip basis.
be duly filled-in and handed over to them. The complaint will
(c) 30% service charge on point to point round trip basis. then be forwarded to the Police Station for necessary
(d) Empty haulage charge for minimum 200 Kms. action. You need not break your journey to lodge a complaint
with the police. You can also approach the RPF Assistance
(e) Detention charge for detention of coach, if any.
Posts at major railway stations, for any assistance in lodging
(f) GST @ 5% of total fare in case of AC and First class coaches are the complaint.
utilised.
If my booked luggage is lost or damaged, how much
(g) Superfast charge for Superfast service, etc.
compensation will I get?
(h) Engine detention charge for detention of engine in case of special
train, etc. Where value of the luggage booked has not been declared
beforehand by the consignor and the prescribed percentage
OTHER;
charges not paid, the monetary liability of the Railways has
No concession is permissible even for senior citizens and children in been limited to Rs. 100/- per kg. However,where the
such special trains/coaches/saloons, etc.
consignor has declared the value of the consignment and
Now let’s tell you about booking your luggage. has also paid percentage charges, he will be entitled to get
Booking of Luggage: the claimed amount which will not exceed the value of the
How much luggage am I allowed to carry?
luggage so declared at the time of booking. The procedure of
Each passenger is allowed a Free Allowance up to which he can payment of percentage charge can be enquired from the
TAG-18

carry luggage with him in the compartment, free of cost. The Free Luggage Booking Office.

322
A world of Railway Information at your finger tips! waiting hall, cloak room, reservation or booking office or on any
platform or in any other place within the precincts of railway station or
Now you can get all types of information on the Indian Railways on the
accidental falling of any passenger from a train carrying passengers.
Internet as well by Logging on to http://www.indianrailways. gov.in
For claiming compensation the claimants are required to file their
the official site of Minisiry of Railways for general information on the
claims in Railway Claims Tribunal.
Indian Railways induding train schedules. From here you can “Spot-
your-train” online over a large part of the railway network Links to the Compensation for death is ‘ 8 lakhs. In case of injuries the minimum
different Zonal Railways websites are provided on http:II amount is ‘ 64,000/- and maximum is ‘ 8 lakhs depending upon the
www.indianrailways.gov.in gravity of injury sustained.
To get real time information about reservation availability, status of The Railway administration gives ex-gratia relief soon after an
wait listed tickets, train schedule and stoppages, go to http:II Accident/Untoward Incident normally at the following rates:
www.indianrailways.gov.in, the Passenger Information Webte
Type of Amount of Amount of Amount of
managed by CRIS (Center for Railway Information Systems). It also Accident ex-gratia for ex-gratia for ex-gratia for
provides an easy and innovative train search option. death Grievous Injury Simple Injury
In case of Train ` 50,000/- ` 25,000/- lump sum for ` 5,000/-
In most major cities, you can also book your reserved ticket directly on Accident (as hos-pitalization upto 30
the web, by logging on to the webstte of Indian Railway Catering and defined under days. Thereafter ` 300/-
Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) http://www.irctc.co. in. Section 124 of per day to be released at
the Act) the end of every 10 day
Compensation for Train Accidents/Untoward Incidents period or dis-charge,
whichever is earlier.
Indian Railways are liable to pay compensation to rail passengers In case of ` 15,000/- ` 5,000/- upto 30 days ` 500/-
against death or injury in train ‘accident’ as defined under Section 124 Untoward of hospitalization.
Incident (as ` 1000/- per week or
of the Railways Act, 1989. Similarly, Railways are also liable to pay defined under part thereof the period
compensation against death or injury of rail passengers and platform Section 123 of for indoor treatment
ticket holders on account of ‘untoward incidents’ as per 124-A of the the Act) upto further six months
of hospitalization.
Act. Untoward incidents have been defined in Section 123 of the ` 500/- per week or
Railway Act, 1989 and include death or injury on account of part thereof the period
commission of a terrorist act, violent attack, robbery, dacoity, rioting, for indoor treatment
upto further five months
shootout, arson by any person in train carrying passengers or in the of hospitalization.

LIST OF ZONAL RAILWAYS AND JURISDICTION OF DIVISIONS

S.No. Name of the Zone Head Quarters Divisions Websites

1 Central Railway Mumbai Bhusawal, Nagpur, Mumbai (CST), Solapur, Pune www.cr.indianrailways.gov.in
2 Eastern Railway Kolkata Malda, Howrah, Sealdah, Asansol www.er.indianrailways.gov.in
3 East Central Railway Hajipur Danapur, Dhanbad, Sonpur, Mughalsarai, Samastipur www.ecr.indianrailways.gov.in
4 East Coast Railway Bhubaneswar Khurda Road, Waltair, Sambalpur www.eastcoastrail.indianrailways.gov.in
5 Northern Railway New Delhi Ambala, Firozpur, Lucknow, Moradabad, Delhi www.nr.indianrailways.gov.in
6 Northeast Frontier Railway Guwahati Katihar, Lumding, Tinsukia, Alipurduar, Rangiya www.nfr.indianrailways.gov.in
7 North Eastern Railway Gorakhpur Lucknow, Varanasi, Izzatnagar www.ner.indianrailways.gov.in
8 North Central Railway Allahabad Allahabad, Jhansi, Agra www.ncr.indianrailways.gov.in
9 North Western Railway Jaipur Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Ajmer www.nwr.indianrailways.gov.in
10. Southern Railway Chennai Chennai, Madurai, Palakkad, Tiruchchirappalli, www.sr.indianrailways.gov.in
Thiruvananthapuram, Salem
11. South Central Railway Secunderabad Secundarabad, Hyderabad, Guntakal, Vijayawada, www.scr.indianrailways.gov.in
Guntur, Nanded.
12. South Eastern Railway Kolkata Kharagpur, Chakradharpur Adra, Ranchi www.ser.indianrailways.gov.in
13. South East Central Railway Bilaspur Nagpur, Bilaspur, Raipur www.secr.indianrailways.gov.in
14. South Western Railway Hubli KSR Bengaluru, Mysuru, Hubballi www.swr.indianrailways.gov.in
15. Western Railway Mumbai Bhavnagar, Mumbai Central, Ratlam, Rajkot, www.wr.indianrailways.gov.in
Vadodara, Ahmedabad
16. West Central Railway Jabalpur Jabalpur, Bhopal, Kota www.wcr.indianrailways.gov.in
TAG-18

17. The Metro Railway Kolkata --- www.mtp.indianrailways.gov.in

323
 Advance Reservation Through Internet (www.irctc.co.in)
• If for any reason, the final output
INDIAN RAILWAY CATERING & TOURISM of the booking is not displayed in
CORPORATION LTD., (IRCTC LTD) a PSU the screen, customer should
check in the menu “History of
of Ministry of Railways have developed a tickets booked” in the home page
system for advance booking of Rail tickets before attempting again.
through Internet. The Web site for online
booking is www.irctc.co.in The site is Veri
Sign secured. Booking procedures are simple
and user friendly.

Online Advance Rail Reservation through www.irctc.co.in 6. Student Identity Card with photograph issued by recognized
The process of booking an E-Ticket is easy and convenient. school/college for their students,
Registration on the website is free. For any assistance/ query about e- 7. Nationalized Bank passbook with photograph,
tickets, please send an e- mail to care@irctc.co.in or talk to the 8. Credit Card issued by Bank with laminated photograph as a
customer care executive at helpline number 011-39340000. proof of identity and
Travel on SMS 9. Unique Identification Card ‘Aadhaar’ issued by Govt, of
E-Ticketing by IRCTC is helpful in protecting environment by saving India, downloaded Aadhaar (e-Aadhaar & m-Aadhaar)
paper. E-ticket holders are now permitted to travel without printout of 10. Photo identity cards having serial number issued
ticket and can travel with SMS sent by IRCTC alongwith valid Photo ID by Public Sector Undertakings of State/Central
proof in original. Government, District Administrations, Municipal
E-ticketing is also helpful in saving environment by controlling bodies and Panchayat Administrations.
pollution as people do not have to travel to Rail Reservation Offices to It will be the responsibility of the passenger carrying any proof of
buy tickets. E-Tickets can be booked from the comfort of homes and identifications mentioned above that the other passengers booked on
offices. This not only saves air pollution but also noise pollution. the e-tickets are bonafide passengers and are not travelling on
Procedure of Booking E-Ticket someone else’s name. If none of the passengers is carrying any proof
of Identity as mentioned above, all the passengers will be treated as
·Customer should register in the www.irctc.co.in website to book
travelling without ticket and shall be charged accordingly. If the
tickets. Registration is free.
passengers fail to carry the Electronic Reservation Slip (ERS)/SMS
·Before registration, customer should go through the “Terms and sent by IRCTC containing journey details, a penalty of Rs.50/- will be
Conditions” which are available in the website. imposed by the Ticket Checking Staff.
·Customer is allowed to register only one user ID with correct Timings for Internet Reservation
details of e-mail, mobile no., etc. Tickets on Internet can be booked from 00:20 hrs to 23:45 hrs on all
·Full fare tickets including Tatkal, Child tickets, tickets for persons days.
with diabilities, acredited press correspondents and senior Service Charge for E-ticket:
citizens at concessional rates can be booked through the website.
E-tickets can be booked for journey between any two stations on Service charge of Rs.20/- for Second/Sleeper Class and Rs.40/- in
the route of the train including originating station and destination. case of all other higher classes (1AC, 2AC, 3AC, CC, 3E, FC) per e-
ticket is applicable, irrespective of the number of passengers
·When ticket is successfully booked an SMS will be sent to the (maximum six) booked on an e-ticket. GST is extra. The same has
customer detailing the PNR, ticket status, fare charged etc. been withdrawn w.e.f. 23.11.2016 upto 31.08.2018 to incentivise
·A maximum of 6 tickets can be booked by an Individual user in a digital transactions.
month. Payment for booking E-tickets:
In order to incentivise the passengers for linking their Aadhaar ID and ·Payment can be made by using all Master/Visa /Amex cards.
mobile number for booking of tickets, the ceiling limit has been raised ·All international credit/debit cards issued outside India are
to 12 tickets for the individual users, where accounts are verified accepted for booking e-tickets through IRCTC website. However,
through Aadhaar ID and one of the passengers in the ticket booked is this payment option is available where ticket is booked atleast 2
verifiable through Aadhaar. days in advance of journey date.
During the journey even if one passenger booked on an e-ticket ·Account holders of major banks viz. State Bank of India, PNB,
presents any of the ten Identity Cards mentioned below in original, the Indian Bank, ICICI, HDFC, etc. can also use Net Banking/
same is accepted as proof of identity: Debit/Credit Cards facility for making payments for tickets booked
1. Voter Identity Card issued by Election Commission of India, through internet.
2. Passport, ·Customers can also use various Cash Cards for making
payments.
3. PAN Card, issued by Income Tax Department of India,
·Payment can also be made through UPI/BHIM.
4. Driving License issued by RTO,
In ($) E-ticketing scheme, passengers get their reservation booked
5. Photo Identity Card issued by Central/State Governments, through internet while sitting at home and occupy their reserved seat
TAG-18

on the basis of Electronic Reservation slip (ERS) taken out from their

324
own computer or SMS sent by IRCTC/Railways along with the original 3. Part confirm/RAC/Waiting List
Identity Card. a. If on one PNR there is more than one passenger and at least one
E-Tickets can now be booked using mobile phone also through passenger is having confirmed/RAC status and rests are on
IRCTC mobile website www.irctc.co.in/mobile. waiting list, names of all the passengers booked on such PNR will
Precautions while buying E-tickets from authorised agents appear in the chart.
b. A certificate can be obtained from the Ticket Checking staff in the
·Demand a receipt from the e-ticketing agent for the payment
train regarding non-travelling of wait-listed passengers on such
made for booking ticket.
tickets and refund can be obtained thereafter by sending online
·Ensure that the Agent has valid Authorisation Certificate issued TDR request. Such request will be processed by Zonal Railways
by respective Principal Agent. List of authorised agents is also Claims Offices.
available on Home Page of www.irctc.co.in under Agents’ section. c. If all such passengers do not want to travel before chart
In order to facilitate availability of website to individual users, e- preparation, online cancellation TDR may be filed as the case
ticket agents are debarred from booking tickets during the 1st 30 may be. Zonal Railways Claims Offices will process TDRs by
minutes of opening of booking i.e. from 08.00 to 08.30 hrs for verification from Train Reservation Charts and decide
general bookings and from 10.00 to 10.30 hrs and 11.00 to 11.30 admissibility of refund amount. IRCTC will arrange the refund to
hrs for Tatkal Bookings in AC & Non AC classes respectively customer’s account on receipt from Railways as per extant refund
·Check carefully all the details viz. Stations, Date, Fare, Service rules.
Charges, Age, Class etc. printed on the E-Ticket, 4. RAC tickets can be cancelled/TDR filed online upto half an
·Please insist that your Mobile number is printed on E-ticket. You hour before the scheduled departure of the train.
will receive SMS on your mobile phone regarding details of your 5. Automatic refund of fare is granted in case of cancellation of
bookings including the fare and the service charge. Cross-check trains. Cancellation/TDR filing is not required.
the actual cost of your E-Ticket with the SMS received from
IRCTC. SMS and IVRS service on “139-Rail Sampark”,
The services on this number i.e. 139-Rail Sampark include enquiries
·If the agent demands more than the prescribed service charge,
pertaining to PNR Status, Current Train running position,
you can also lodge a complaint at agentcomplaint@irctc.co.in.
Accommodation availability, PRS ticket cancellation and Fare
Agent Service Charge: Enquiry.
·On IRCTC website: Rs.20/- per ticket for Sleeper Class, 2S class Apart from voice enquiry on IVRS, the above mentioned services are
tickets and Rs. 40/- per ticket for other higher classes.(GST also available through SMS. Passenger can get the desired
extra). information by sending SMS to 139 in the following format.
·There is no Agent Service charge for cancellation of ticket. The details of SMSs services available and the format are as under:
Cancellation and Refund of E-Tickets 1. For ticket status Enquiry:
An E-Ticket cannot be cancelled at any Reservation counter of the SMS 10 Digit PNR Number For example: 4341568666
Railways. It can only be cancelled or TDR may be filed online as the 2. For Train Arrival/Departure Enquiry:
case may be as per Refund Rule. SMS “AD <Train number> <STD code of Station>”
A. Cancellation Before Charting For example: AD 12012 011
By logging in his User ID and password on the irctc.co.in. TDR 3. For Accommodation availability:
Filing/ Cancellation is not possible through any other User ID and SMS “SEAT <Train number> <DOJ**ddmmyy> <Station from:
password. Upon cancellation of ticket/TDR filing IRCTC will STD code> <station to: STD code> <class> <Quota>***
process the refund electronically and credit the amount in same For example: SEAT 12561 010712 0542 0571 SL G
account which was used at the time of booking of tickets.
4. Fare enquiry
B. Cancellation After Charting SMS “FARE <Train number> < DOJ**ddmmyy> <Station from:
1. For confirmed Tickets STD code> <station to: STD code> <class> <Quota>***
For example: FARE 12561 010712 0542 0571 SL G
Confirmed tickets can only be cancelled/TDR may be filed online
upto 4 hours before the scheduled departure of the train for refund 5. Time table:
of fare as per Rule. SMS “TIME <train number>
For example: TIME 12561
2. Fully Wait Listed Tickets:
6. Spot/ Locate train:
a. Fully waitlisted tickets are those tickets in which on one PNR, all SMS “SPOT <train number> or LOCATE <train number>
the passengers are on waitlist. Such PNRs are dropped from the For example: SPOT 12561 or LOCATE 12561
reservation charts at the time of preparation of Final Train Charts
and refund is credited to customer account automatically. 7. Train Name/Number:
SMS “TN <train number> or SMS “TN <train name>
b. Such passengers are not required to send online request for For example: TN 12724 or TN AP EXPRESS
cancellation. IRCTC will cancel such tickets after due verification
and process refunds electronically. To get the above syntax, SMS HELP or RAIL to 139
c. On a PNR which has all the passengers on waiting list at the time Note: Quota is optional field. For example, please enter G for general,
of charting, the name of such waitlisted passengers will not CK for tatkal
appear in the charts and such passengers, if found travelling, will For CLASS field, please enter 1A for First AC, 2A for Second AC, 3A
be treated as unauthorized and charged accordingly. However, for third AC, SL for Sleeper, CC for AC Chair Car, 2S for Second Sitting
on a PNR which has some passengers confirmed or RAC status
and some on waiting list, all the names including those on waiting The service is also available on USSD for Reliance, Uninor, Docomo
list will appear in chart. and Vodafone Telephone Service Providers. Just dial *139# to avail
the USSD facility for enquiry of PNR, Arrival/Departure etc.
TAG-18

325