Book Train Tickets

Tatkal ticket reservation is a facility that allows the passengers taking a train journey on a short notice. Tatkal quota opens one day advance excluding the date of journey from the originating station of the train.

Tatkal Train Ticket Booking Timings are:

AC Class - 10:00 AM

Sleeper Class - 11:00 AM

You have to opt for Tatkal quota to book tatkal tickets.

All of the above except RAC are the types of waiting list available with train booking. WL with a number suggests the waitlisted status of a passenger.

RAC means Reservation against Cancellation. If you have an RAC ticket, then your travel with a train is guaranteed but you will be given a seat (half of a side lower berth mostly) to sit and travel not an entire berth.

GNWL General Waiting List waitlisted tickets are issued to the passenger who begins his/her journey from the originating station of a route or stations closer to the originating station.

PQWL Pooled Quota Waiting List is shared by several small stations of a train route. The quota generally operates from originating station of a train route and only one Pooled Quota is there for entire run. The Pooled Quota is usually selected for the passengers travelling from the originating station to one or few stations short of the terminating station, or from a midway station to the terminating station, or between two stations coming midway of the entire route.

RLWL Remote Location Waiting List ticket is issued for the stations between the originating and terminating stations. Usually these are important towns or cities of that particular route. These tickets are given a separate priority and their confirmations will depend on the cancellations of a confirmed ticket. Remote location stations prepare their own chart 2-3 hours prior to the actual departure of train. There are less chances of confirmation for such waitlisted tickets.

TQWL Tatkal Quota Waiting List was earlier CKWL. It is the waiting list tickets booked under Tatkal Quota. TQWL tickets directly get confirm and don’t go through RAC. However, GNWL is given priority over TQWL.

Premium Tatkal is a new quota introduced by railway to book online train tickets. Under this quota, dynamic fares are applicable. Premium Tatkal fare increases following the number of bookings. Booking Premium Tatkal (PT) ticket is much costlier than Tatkal because of the dynamic fare pricing. In this case, train ticket prices depend on the booking rates and availability of seats.

On cancellation of confirmed Tatkal tickets, no refund is given. On the cancellation of contingent and waitlisted Tatkal tickets, amount will be charged as per the existing rules of Railway. However, you can partially cancel the Tatkal e-tickets.

To get refunds on cancellation of train tickets, passengers should cancel their tickets before chart preparation. If a confirmed train ticket is cancelled more than 48 hrs prior to the scheduled departure of the train, cancellation charges will be Rs.240/- for AC First Class/Executive Class, Rs.200/- for AC 2 Tier/First Class, Rs. 180 for AC 3 Tier/AC Chair car/ AC 3 Economy, Rs.120/- for Sleeper Class and Rs.60/- for Second Class. These cancellation charges are applicable per ticket per passenger and same will be deducted before processing the refunds. If a confirmed ticket is cancelled between 48 and 12 hours prior to the scheduled departure of the train, cancellation charges will be 25% of the fare (subject to the above mentioned minimum flat rate). Between 12 hours and 4 hours prior to the scheduled departure of the train up to chart preparation (whichever is earlier), 50% of the fare paid subject to the minimum cancellation charges.

Advance Reservation Period for booking train tickets is 120 days (excluding the date of journey). So, booking in trains from train originating stations will open and remain available for 120 days.

The first chart of a train is typically prepared 4 hours ahead of its departure from originating station or remote location station. Chart of early morning trains is prepared the night before. However, if some seats still remain available, they can be booked by the passengers. So, the final chart is created 30 minutes before departure of train.

You can’t change your train booking. All that you can do is to cancel your current ticket and book again.

There are several websites and apps that offer food delivery services in train. You can order food in trains using your mobile phone and food will be delivered at your berth. With little efforts, modern day travelers can enjoy the best meals during their train journeys. Food is delivered from reputed restaurants in the locality and multiple payment options are available for the same.

Railway gives the facility to senior citizens for booking train tickets under senior citizen quota by availing a concession. As per the rules, male senior citizens of 60 years and above and lady senior citizens of 58 years and above can avail the concession in the fares of all classes of Mail/Express/Rajdhani/Shatabdi/Jan-Shatabdi/Duronto group of trains. The concession amount for men is 40% and for women is 50%.

This quota is only for lady travelers or accompanying male child below 12 years. Ladies quota is available in sleeper class and second sitting class.