Whenever a sudden travel plan is made or you have to reach any corner of the country quickly, then the railway’s Tatkal ticket proves to be a big relief for every passenger. Especially when you have to book a seat on the train immediately, the Tatkal ticket is most useful. But, nowadays many types of rumors and news are going on about this ticket on social media.
Some are saying that the time of ticket booking has changed, while some are talking about a new payment system. In such a situation, it is very important to book tickets with the right information, so that you do not face any problems on the journey. Let us understand in detail all the latest rules and changes related to Tatkal ticket booking.
What is the right time for Tatkal ticket booking
First of all, know that the Tatkal ticket has to be booked not on the day of travel, but a day before the journey. That is, if your train is on the 28th, then you have to book a Tatkal ticket on the 27th only.
Ticket booking timings are also fixed for different classes of the train:
Ticket booking for AC classes (such as 2A, 3A, CC, EC, and 3E) starts at 10 am.
Booking for non-AC classes (such as Sleeper, Second Seating, and First Class) starts at 11 am.
Please note that Tatkal Ticket in First AC is not available in First AC class.
Booking process and important points
You can book tickets through the IRCTC website or mobile app. It is important to provide your complete details at the time of booking, especially details of a valid ID proof. It is also mandatory to carry the same original ID with you during the journey so that there is no problem with verification.
Tickets can be booked for a maximum of 4 passengers on one PNR number. Apart from this, there is no discount on Tatkal tickets, neither for senior citizens, students, or disabled passengers. This rule applies equally to all.
Tatkal Ticket Fee and Refund Rules
The Tatkal ticket fee is 10% of the basic fare for Second Class, while for other classes it can be up to 30%. Apart from this, reservation fees and GST are also added to it. If your ticket gets confirmed, then there will be no refund. Therefore, keep this in mind while booking. If the ticket remains in waiting and is not confirmed, the amount is refunded as per the refund rules.
What changes have the Railways made recently
Railways has made some important changes in the rules of Tatkal tickets so that booking can be made even easier and transparent. The biggest change is that the time given for making payment has been increased from 3 minutes to 5 minutes. This will make it easier for passengers to make payment and the ticket booking process will be smooth, there will be less chance of ‘time out’.
The captcha system has also been made easier, so that time can be saved while booking, and the chances of mistakes are reduced. Now one can work with a single login in both the IRCTC website and app. This has eliminated the problem of logging in again and again. The problem of duplication has also been solved, which has improved the booking experience.
New rules for agents and waiting ticket holders
Railways have not made any changes in the booking time for agents, but their monitoring has been made very strict. Its purpose is to ensure that no one can book tickets wrongly and common passengers get the benefit of it.
Most importantly, from May 1, 2025, passengers with waiting tickets will no longer be able to travel in AC or Sleeper Coach. They will have to travel only in a General Coach. This rule has been made to improve the safety of passengers and the system.
Apart from this, the reservation period, i.e. the advance period for booking tickets, has been reduced from 120 days to 60 days. This will enable more passengers to get profitable seats, as tickets can be booked quickly.