FAQs on Indian Railway Train Tickets:
Q: How early can I book Indian Railway train tickets?
A: The Advance Reservation Period (ARP) for all classes of General Quota tickets is 120 days prior...
more... to the date of your journey. In the case of Tatkal and Premium Tatkal tickets, bookings are open only one day prior to the date of journey. This is applicable for tickets booked online as well as through the PRS counters at stations.
Q: Can I book train tickets on the date of journey?
A: Yes. If seats/berths are available on a train, you can book tickets – both General Quota tickets and Tatkal Quota tickets – till the chart preparation. Typically, the first chart is prepared about 4 hours prior to the scheduled departure of the train from the originating station.
Q: What is current train ticket booking?
A: Current booking is a type of train ticket reservation where passengers are allowed to book tickets in a train after the preparation of the first chart, subject to the availability of seats. Current reservation can only be done online and this facility is stopped 30 minutes before the train’s departure so that the final chart can be prepared.
Q: What is the booking time window for Tatkal tickets?
A: Tatkal ticket bookings for AC classes start at 10:00 am on the day prior to the date of journey. For non-AC classes such as Sleeper Class (SL) and reserved Second Seater (SS), Tatkal reservation opens at 11:00 am onwards. This is applicable for individuals (not agents) booking Tatkal tickets through their IRCTC accounts or through reservation counters.
Q: Can I book train tickets through the IRCTC website at night?
A: Yes. However, you cannot book tickets through IRCTC website and app from 11:45 pm to 12:20 am (IST), every night.
