IRCTC Train Booking
Book IRCTC train tickets quick and easily on our train app or website using your IRCTC login. You can also check the latest state-wise COVID-19 guidelines and confirm the running status of your train or the special COVID-19 train. Find trains according to your travel destination and preferred date, check seat availability, and complete your ticket booking, since online railway reservation is now easy, swift and secure at ixigo. You will be paying ₹0 payment gateway fee on train booking via UPI. You can also check your PNR status and know the chances of your ticket confirmation.
The confirmation prediction feature also assists in deciding whether to book train tickets or not. If the seat is on the waitlist and you book a waitlisted IRCTC ticket, the PNR auto update feature keeps you updated about availability till your journey date/ticket gets confirmed. Along with online train reservations, an IRCTC Tatkal ticket booking service is also available on the ixigo app and website.
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IRCTC Running Train Stats (22nd September, 2021) |
Count |
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Number of Live Running Trains |
2705+ |
IRCTC Live Train Running Status
Tracking of GPS-enabled Indian Railways trains in real-time and determining the current status of your train is known as train running status. It provides information about the last reported location of a train, with an estimated arrival and departure time for the upcoming stations in its route.
IRCTC Seat Availability and Enquiry
The Train Seat Availability feature helps you find out the seat/berth availability in a train and of a particular class whenever you are planning a rail journey. It enables passengers to make train ticket bookings according to their choice of travel facilities and reap their benefits.
You can also use the IRCTC Train enquiry services to seek detailed information about the availability of trains, seats, train timetables, fares, concessions, quotas or anything else you might need for the journey. The service also helps to check trains between two stations and provides a list of all available trains for a particular route. ixigo helps you out in booking train tickets, forwarding train enquiries, and checking the real-time seat availability via its train app or website.
PNR Status Alert & Prediction of IRCTC Train Ticket
Your PNR, or Passenger Name Record, is a unique 10-digitnumber issued by IRCTC's computerised reservation system to every booked ticket. It contains the personal details of a passenger such as age, sex, and contact information, and helps you find out the current status of a waitlisted booked ticket, regardless of whether it is confirmed or not.
Sometimes, booked tickets are upgraded to higher classes depending upon seat availability. Combine this with ixigo’s PNR status prediction, which offers high accuracy in knowing your booking status, for a smooth and trouble-free experience.
How can I book IRCTC train tickets online?
Indian Railways reservation can be done both online and offline.
Online Train Ticket Booking
An IRCTC train booking can be made online effortlessly, since the whole process is carried out at the convenience of a smart device and an internet connection. Use the ixigo trains app or ixigo website for a quick, seamless transaction experience. Here’s how it works:
• Visit the train section on ixigo website or train app.
• Choose the source and destination stations.
• Select the date of journey and class.
• Click the ‘Search Trains’ button.
• A list of trains along with their seat availability and travel fare will show up.
• Choose any train ticket class from the options, as per your travel requirement
• Fill in the passenger details.
• Log in to your account using IRCTC login credentials and complete the payment process.
• And it’s done! You will now receive a message with your IRCTC train ticket details on your registered mobile number and email address.
The ixigo trains app has a couple of smart features to help you with everything related to your IRCTC train ticket status. We’ve already told you about our IRCTC PNR prediction feature that predicts the confirmation chances of your booked tickets, along with providing a confirmation percentage. But what if your train’s running late?
No worries! Check its Live Running Status through the ixigo trains app. Enter your train details along with the date of journey for precise, live information on your train’s location.
Offline Train Ticket Booking
To book a train ticket through the Indian Railways reservation counter, visit the nearest railway station and follow these steps:
• Collect a reservation form from the counter.
• Ask for the train seat availability, fare and other train details from the enquiry counter.
• Fill in details like passenger name, sex, age, berth preference, etc.
• Forward the filled form to the booking counter.
• Complete the payment and get your train ticket from the counter.
• Verify the train details, journey date, and passenger details mentioned on the ticket.
• Booked tickets have a unique PNR number, so you may also check its current PNR status.
IRCTC Valid ID Proof
No documents or identity details have to be entered while booking trains on the app. The passengers will, however, have to carry an ID card with them during the journey. The Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) will ask for identification documents while checking passenger tickets in the coach.
Please remember to carry the original versions of all the identification documents, such as:
• Aadhar card
• Voter photo identity card
• Passport
• Driving license
• Pan Card
• Central/State Government issued Photo Identity card
• Student Identity Card with photograph
• Nationalised Bank Passbook with photographs
• Credit Cards with laminated photographs
• Photo identity cards having serial numbers.
IRCTC Next Generation Ticket Booking
The IRCTC (Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation) features a next generation website that has changed the face of train travel in India.
Besides e-tickets, the website also offers i-tickets (regular tickets) which are booked online and delivered by post to your doorstep. Rail tour packages are also on offer, spanning hotel bookings, tourist trains, car rentals, e-ticketing as well as i-ticketing. It also runs a 24*7 support centre that helps passengers with issues during train ticketing, train timings, tour bookings and seat availability.
The Indian Railways Reservation system has enabled different types of ticket booking categories based on age, sex, emergency, inability, and other quotas. These bookings are available online and offline, except for a select few. Tatkal tickets are booked at different time intervals for the AC and sleeper classes. The Railways has also introduced IRCTC ticket booking fare concession schemes for senior citizens, students, women and disabled persons.
Different Quotas for IRCTC Ticket Booking
There are 12 different types of quotas that determine the railways reservation availability including General, Ladies, Tatkal, Senior Citizen and so on. When Indian Railways booking starts in the Advance Reservation Period, which is 4 months before the journey day, only about half of the seats are under train ticket availability for the general public. The remainder of the railway reservation seat availability is divided into various quotas and only travellers of select categories are permitted to make Indian Railways booking under these quotas. The 12 different quotas are:
Tatkal Quota
While making online train ticket booking, emergency tickets refer to Tatkal tickets. These tickets are necessary when you make an online train ticket booking at a short notice. At times, you have only a day or two before the journey. In such situations, emergency online train ticket booking of tatkal tickets comes handy. No refund is given on tatkal tickets.
Premium Tatkal Quota
It is a new quota introduced by the Indian Railways Reservation. It reserves a few seats with dynamic fare pricing while making online train ticket booking. Premium Tatkal booking timings are the same as the Tatkal booking timings. Dynamic fare pricing means that increased fare is charged only for passengers with confirmed online train ticket booking, and it is twice the usual tatkal ticket charges.No refund is given on premium tatkal tickets.
Ladies Quota
Train ticket availability for Ladies Quota was introduced in the year 2011 to facilitate Indian railways booking for women passengers. This quota provides concession to women who are either travelling alone or with a child below 12 years of age. There are only 6 berths available under ladies quota in the entire train in sleeper class (SL) and second sitting (2S).
Senior Citizen Quota
Railway reservation seat availability grants male senior citizens that are at least 60 years of age and female senior citizens that are at least 58 years of age fare concessions in all classes of Mail/Express/Rajdhani/Shatabdi/Jan-Shatabdi/Duronto trains.
Defence Quota
This quota is available for Indian Armed Forces (including the Army, Navy and Air Force) under the Railways reservation seat availability. The paramilitary servicemen quota is also included under this broad category of Indian Railways booking. 2 seats are reserved under this quota in most trains across the nation.
Lower Berth Quota
Under the Indian Railways booking, lower berth quota(SS quota) can be allotted only to female passengers of age 45 and above that are travelling alone or senior citizen passengers travelling alone.
Physically Handicapped Quota
Railway booking can be made under this quota that includes reservation of two sleeper class berths in all trains running on non- suburban sections by handicapped persons taking their journey on handicapped concession tickets. The person accompanying the handicapped person as an escort is also allotted the berth out of this quota under the Railway reservation seat availability.
Headquarters/High Official Quota
This is a type of emergency quota under the Indian Railways reservation. This quota provides a limited number of berths to the high ranking officials of railways and other ministers. This quota is used to provide train ticket availability in emergency situations or for an urgent surprise inspection the official might need to conduct.
Parliament House Quota
Parliament House Quota is similar to HQ Quota under the Indian Railways reservation. This quota is meant for ministers and high bureaucrats as well as members of parliament and their staff to meet urgent travel requirements.
Foreign Tourist Quota
It is a quota under the Indian Railways reservation meant for foreign tourists who visit India. Small number of seats are kept reserved while Railway booking under this quota for those who hold valid tourist visas when they visit India. It is also available to Indian Passport holders with NRI status. Foreign Tourist Quota passengers are allowed to make online train ticket booking in Executive Class/First Class AC and Two-Tier AC coaches in all trains, including Shatabdi, Rajdhani, Duronto and Gatiman Express trains, for which the fares are uniformly charged at 1.5 times the base fare by the Railways. In addition to this, IRCTC charges an enhanced service charge of ₹ 200 per ticket + GST under this quota.
Duty Pass Quota
Duty Pass Quota is also one of the quotas under the Railway reservation seat availability meant for railway staff on duty. Railway staff that need to travel in trains for duty are issued a duty pass through which they can board the trains.
Yuva Quota
This is a quota for unemployed people in the age group of 18 to 45 years. Under the Indian Railways reservation, it is applicable only for Yuva Trains. To avail this facility under the Railway reservation seat availability, a passenger must have an age/income proof certificate.
IRCTC Ticket Booking Types
General Booking
General tickets can be booked offline at the Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters, or online through the IRCTC and ixigo.
Unreserved Ticketing System
‘Unreserved Ticketing System on mobile’ (UTS) is an app which allows passengers to book an unreserved paperless ticket for a journey between any two stations. This app eliminates any need for a passenger to visit a counter for an unreserved ticket. After booking, one can also collect the unreserved paperless ticket from an automatic ticket vending machine in any part of the country.
Also equipped with an offline mode, it helps passengers to access their ticket without an active internet connection. One can pay for a ticket through an R-wallet (Railway wallet), which is an online wallet offered by the Indian Railways. For example, you can use your unreserved IRCTC train ticket at stations in cities like Chennai, Bengaluru, Secunderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi.
To use the R-wallet, you must download the UTS app and register yourself. You can recharge your R-wallet at any railway booking counter up to ₹5000. You can also buy platform tickets as well as season and journey tickets using the app.
To book an unreserved ticket on the app, you must be at least 15 metres away from a railway station. For journey tickets, passengers must be within 5 kilometres of their source station, while platform tickets can be booked up to a distance of 2 kilometres from the source station. These restrictions do not apply on the booking of a season ticket.
Users can purchase only four tickets and four platform tickets at a time. Monthly passes are also available. Your ticket is then sent to the app where you can use the 'show ticket' option to display the ticket at the time of checking.
FTR (Full Tariff Rate)
To make the online booking of train coaches easier for occasions like marriage parties and tours, an FTR (Full Tariff Rate) allows you to book an entire train or a single coach via the IRCTC website. One can book through a 'single window booking system' offered by the IRCTC.
The registration can be done a maximum of 6 months in advance and a minimum of 30 days before the journey date. The Indian Railways has fixed a security deposit of ₹50,000 per coach, and in case of special trains a minimum of 18 coaches will be charged. The whole transaction has to be carried out digitally. A facilitation charge of 5% is levied on your total fare for booking these trains or coaches.
FTR booking is allowed only for journeys starting from the stations of the Western Railway Zone. At the time of booking, an individual or a party needs to provide basic information like the booking type, the route and details of the coaches. Once the registration is done, you get a reference number and a registration amount. After the payment against the reference number is complete, an FTR number is generated. The IRCTC needs to receive the amount within 6 days of making the registration.
In case of cancellation of an FTR booking, or if the IRCTC decides to cancel your booking, the refund is processed through a manual procedure which involves the Chief Commercial Manager.
A maximum of 10 coaches can be booked by a party through FTR in a single train on a single tour. However, you can book a maximum of 24 coaches of an FTR train which includes 2 SLR (Seating-cum-Luggage Rake) coaches. The registration amount for a coach for 1 week is ₹50,000. For extended journeys beyond 7 days, an additional ₹10,000 per day, per coach is charged.
IRCTC Train Types
The Indian Railways is one of the most popular modes of transportation connecting different cities, towns, and capitals in the country. IRCTC offers train ticket bookings for these trains that include high-speed, fully air-conditioned, long-distance, daily, economy class, seasonal, special and mountain train services.
The different train types under the scope of the IRCTC are: Tejas Express, Vande Bharat Express, Shatabdi Express, Gatimaan Express, Rajdhani Express, Duronto Express, Humsafar Express, AC Express, Double Decker Express, UDAY Express, Garib Rath Express, Yuva Express, Jan Shatabdi Express, Sampark Kranti Express, Kavi Guru Express, Vivek Express, Rajya Rani Express, Mahamana Express, Intercity Express, Antyodaya Express, Jan Sadharan Express, Suvidha Express, Superfast Express, Express, Passenger, Mail, Suburban, Mountain Railways and Luxury Trains.
IRCTC Quick Facts
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IRCTC Train Ticket Booking Timings |
Booking of train tickets are allowed from 00:20 AM to 11:45 PM |
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IRCTC website's shut down timings for maintenance |
11:45 PM to 12:20 AM |
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How Many passenger per PNR can be booked on IRCTC Tatkal e-tickets? |
4 Passengers (max.) |
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Senior Citizen Quota in IRCTC |
Yes |
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Senior citizen concession in IRCTC Tatkal Quota |
Not Allowed |
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IRCTC Tatkal Booking Timings For AC berth |
10 AM for AC Berth |
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IRCTC Tatkal Booking Timings For Non AC berth |
11 AM for Non AC Berth |
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Maximum ticket booking allowed per user in a month |
12 for users with Aadhar number linked. 6 for others. |
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Maximum tickets that can be booked from one user ID in a day |
Maximum two tickets can be booked from 1 user ID in a day. |
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Popular IRCTC packages |
Vaishno Devi, Ramayana Yatra, Bharat Darshan, North East Safari, Shirdi Special, Dakshin Bharat Yatra |
IRCTC is most commonly misspelled as:
• irtc
• irtct
• irtctc
• irtct login
• irtct next generation
• irtct pnr status
• irtct ticket booking
• irtct booking
• irtct registration
• irtc train
IRCTC Latest News
Wondering if you have missed any important IRCTC latest news this week? Don’t worry, we’ve compiled some major updates on IRCTC here:
• Indian Railways to train 50,000 youths under the rail 'Kaushal Vikas Yojana'
• IRCTC announces 3 more special trains from September 20
• IRCTC ticket reservation: How to get confirmed lower berths for senior citizens
• Railways resume MST services for passengers on 56 trains
• Railway Recruitment 2021: Applications open for 3093 apprentice posts
