The Railway Ministry has changed the rules for preparing reservation charts. Now, passengers will be able to know about their berth confirmation earlier.
The Railway Board has sent a circular to all zonal railways and CRIS, informing them that the timing for preparing the first reservation chart has been changed.
According to the Railways, this change will help passengers get better information about ticket confirmation and seat availability, especially at the last minute. It will also make the travel process smoother. The Railway Ministry has asked all zonal railways to follow these new rules quickly and to inform all related staff about the changes.
New Rules for Railway Reservation Chart Preparation
The Railway Ministry has changed the rules for preparing reservation charts. These changes will help passengers know about their seat confirmation earlier and avoid last-minute confusion.
New Reservation Chart Timings
- Trains running between 5 AM and 2 PM:
- The first reservation chart will now be prepared by 9 PM the night before.
- Trains running between 2 PM and 12 AM and between 12 AM and 5 AM:
- The first chart will be prepared 8 hours before the train’s departure time.
Second chart preparation:
The second chart will still be prepared 30 to 5 minutes before the train departs, just like before. No changes have been made here.
Remote stations:
These new rules will also apply to remote stations and stops.
Why the Changes Were Made
Earlier, different railway zones had different rules for preparing charts, which confused many passengers. In 2015, Indian Railways decided to make one standard rule for all zones. Recently, a test was done in the Bikaner division where charts were made 24 hours before the journey. But the test showed that making the chart 8 hours before was more useful. So, the Railways decided to make it a rule.
Benefits for Passengers
With the new chart timings:
- Passengers can know their seat status earlier.
- It will help reduce last-minute confusion.
- It will also improve seat allocation and booking management.
- Current Booking and Second Chart
- When the first chart is made, any empty berths are available for current booking.
- The second chart is still prepared 30 to 5 minutes before the train leaves.
- If any tickets are cancelled in this time, those seats are given to passengers who book last minute.
Also, if a confirmed ticket is cancelled between 48 and 12 hours before the journey, the passenger will get a 25% refund, and the seat will be available for others to book.