Indian Railways to Reduce Advance Ticket Booking Window to 60 Days
New Delhi, India — The long-standing issue of waiting lists in Indian Railways during the festive season may soon come to an end. In a major decision, the Railway Board has announced that advance booking for reservation tickets will now be available only 60 days in advance, reducing the current booking window from 120 days. This change is set to be implemented starting November 1, 2024.
New Reservation Rules to Tackle Waiting List
Festivals like Diwali and Chhath often see travelers facing lengthy waiting lists, partly due to the current system allowing ticket bookings 120 days in advance. With the new regulation, passengers will be able to book tickets only 60 days ahead of their travel date, which is expected to ease the waiting list problem. The 120-day advance booking service will continue until October 31, 2024.
Exceptions for Select Trains
The Railway Board clarified that the existing reservation system for certain special express trains, such as the Taj Express and Gomti Express, will remain unchanged. These are day-trip trains where the lower limit for advance bookings will still apply as per the previous rules.
365-Day Advance Booking for Foreign Nationals
For foreign nationals and tourists, the Railway Board has retained the provision allowing reservation tickets to be booked 365 days in advance. This rule remains unchanged and is intended to facilitate international travelers planning their journeys well in advance.
Curbing Ticket Hoarding and Scalping
With the reduction of the advance booking period to 60 days, the Railway Board expects to prevent the practice of agents booking and holding tickets for long durations. This move aims to curb ticket hoarding and minimize black-market ticket sales. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has already implemented various measures to address the issue of ticket scalping, including limiting the number of tickets that can be booked at one time.
The new policy is expected to benefit travelers by reducing artificial scarcity and making train reservations more accessible during busy travel seasons.