IRCTC Ticket Booking Limit: If you travel by train frequently, this news might be of interest to you. Many people travel by rail, and the facility to book tickets online via the IRCTC app or website is available. However, users often receive a notification stating that their monthly booking limit has been exhausted. To curb ticket fraud, the Railways has established distinct monthly booking limits for standard accounts versus those verified via Aadhaar.
How many tickets can be booked monthly via IRCTC?
Millions of people travel via IRCTC daily, and most book their tickets online through the IRCTC app or website. Users often encounter a message indicating that their limit has been reached when booking a high volume of tickets in a month. In reality, the Railways has set different booking limits for standard accounts and Aadhaar-verified accounts to prevent the black marketing of tickets.
What is the limit for standard users?
If you have created a standard IRCTC account and your user ID is not linked to an identity document (like Aadhaar), you can book a maximum of 12 train tickets per month. Previously, this limit for standard users was only 6 tickets; however, Indian Railways doubled the limit to accommodate the needs and convenience of rail passengers.
Benefits of linking your account with Aadhaar
If you wish to book more than 12 tickets in a month, you must link your user ID with Aadhaar. The condition for booking more than 12 tickets is that the Aadhaar number of at least one passenger travelling on the train must be linked in the railway’s booking system.
Rules for Tatkal Ticket Booking
Regarding Tatkal ticket booking rules, a user can book a maximum of two Tatkal tickets per day between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM. Additionally, only one Tatkal booking form can be filled out per IP address or single login session.
Booking Tickets Without Aadhaar
If your IRCTC ID is not verified with Aadhaar, you can book a maximum of 12 tickets per month. In June 2022, Indian Railways increased the monthly ticket booking limit for standard user IDs from 6 to 12. This means you can now book up to 12 tickets online per month even with a non-Aadhaar-verified user ID.
However, note that this rule does not apply to linking a standard government identity card with the IRCTC user ID; Aadhaar verification is mandatory to avail the facility of booking more than 12 tickets. According to railway regulations, a personal ID should be used solely for one’s own travel or for family members. Using a personal ID for commercial ticket booking is considered a legal offence.