IRCTC reduces advance booking limit: Starting today, (November 1, 2024), Indian Railways has introduced new changes to the advance ticket booking period via its online booking platform, IRCTC. As a part of a new policy that aims at streamlining ticket availability and managing waitlists, IRCTC has reportedly shortened the booking window, going down from 120 days to 60 days.
The passengers who frequently use the IRCTC app or website for ticket reservations will need to be aware of this change and plan their travel and book tickets accordingly.
Who will be affected by this new rule?
The change in booking rules will be applied not only to the IRCTC platform but also to third-party booking sites and apps like Ixigo, Paytm and MakeMyTrip. Passengers who are purchasing tickets offline, at railway counters, are also subjected to this reduced booking period.
The new rule has been implemented due to frequent occurrences of long waiting lists, especially during festive seasons, which have often made it difficult for travellers to secure reservations.
Advance ticket and Tatkal booking timelines
Under the revised IRCTC rules, users will be able to reserve advance tickets up to 60 days (almost two months) ahead of their intended travel date, rather than the previous 120 days ( almost four months).
However, Tatkal ticket bookings will remain unchanged and could be reserved one day before departure, with the booking window opening at 10 a.m. for AC classes and 11 a.m. for non-AC classes.
For those who intend to travel over long weekends or during holidays, the new rule will further emphasize the importance of timely booking, as advance ticket availability will now be shorter.
Platform upgrades and security enhancements
IRCTC has made multiple upgrades to its platform in recent years to provide users with a more seamless booking experience. Notably, passengers logging in before 8 a.m. will be logged out at precisely 8 a.m. and will need to log in again to book tickets. For Tatkal tickets, users must log in exactly at 10 a.m. for AC and 11 a.m. for non-AC bookings. Additionally, only one PNR number can be generated per login session, after which a fresh login is required for subsequent bookings.
This restriction on single-session PNR generation has been introduced to curb black-market ticket sales and ensure fair ticket distribution. Indian Railways aims to make ticket booking more accessible to genuine travellers, improving user experience and reducing booking-related hassles on IRCTC.
This follows a similar restriction placed on Apple’s iPhone 16, as Indonesia enforces its commitment to boost local manufacturing and support domestic industry. The decision underscores the government’s push for foreign tech companies to align with national production requirements, ensuring that a significant portion of their devices’ parts are sourced locally before entering the Indonesian market.
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