Do you need to travel immediately tomorrow? Is there any instant need to reach somewhere? Or do you have any business meetings lined up the next day? In any case, you need not worry. The tatkal ticket booking facility is there just a click away solving your urgent ticket booking needs .
Trains are the most convenient modes of travel when it comes to long and short distance commute, especially in India. People sometimes plan their trips depending on the availability of train seats. But sometimes, it is not possible to wait.
And that is why the railways have offered the facility of tatkal ticket booking. If sometimes you couldn’t book the tickets in advance or had to move out to a place urgently, you can use the tatkal facility that allows immediate ticket bookings.
This scheme was introduced in the year 1997, under which the passengers are allowed to book their train tickets one day prior to the date of the journey. The tatkal train tickets are available for all kinds of classes including, 1AC, 2AC, and other executive classes.
What should you know about tatkal?
Tatkal is the Hindi word or urgency. The tatkal ticket booking opens for a limited time, and that is why it is essential to stay uptight. For AC classes, the tatkal window begins at 10 a.m., and for the non-AC classes, it opens at 11 in the morning.
It is a particular type of booking that is not allowed in the first AC and executive classes. Usually, under one PNR number, six people could book tickets. But in tatkal, only four tickets can be booked under one PNR.
Also, the tickets reserved under the tatkal category are costlier than the regular tickets. That is why tatkal ticket booking is the last-minute option that gives leverage to passengers. But that is not much favoured. You are not allowed any offers or concessions too on tatkal.
Essential points for tatkal ticket booking
For your tatkal bookings, there are so many things you might need to take care of. If you do not know what some significant points are, this article will help you.
- Tatkal windows have specific timings. If you were unable to book the tickets at that time, you may not be able to travel.
- If you have any plan to book later, you must be sure that no offers can be availed on tatkal.
- The tatkal ticket booking windows restrict ticket agents from booking from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.
- You need to know that tatkal tickets can only be booked for specific trains on selected days. So, it would be perfect if you had a checklist for that too.
- In case of cancellation of tatkal tickets, you will not be granted any refund.
- When booking train seats in tatkal, you cannot opt for ladies’ quotas. That is, no cut down on this basis.
- One of the most vital things you need to know is that if the train is late for more than three hours, you can claim a full refund if you have booked for tatkal.
- If the RAC tickets are cancelled up to thirty minutes before the train starts, you will be refunded.
Tips for booking your tatkal tickets
The IRCTC has given so much flexibility to the passengers. If you have an emergency, you can choose the tatkal ticket booking facility. But like everything, tatkal booking also has some cheat codes that can help you in the process.
The general waiting list is given preference over the tatkal waiting list. So, it is of utmost importance that you make sure the ticket is confirmed. Otherwise, you might have to choose another mode of travel for your urgent trips.
Since there are a lot of private companies facilitating train ticket booking with their mobile applications, there are some tips that can help you make it faster. You can read the following and comprehend better.
- When you visit the IRCTC website, it would be better if you created multiple accounts to log in. If you try to book parallelly with two or three versions, the chances of you getting the tickets to become higher. Also, it is essential to know that you should not use the same account on different browsers. It may block your account for some time.
- The tatkal ticket booking window opens one day in advance. So, you must be aware of the dates and timings. If you are late, you may miss out on the first-mover advantage.
- Keep your personal identification cards with you at the time of booking. You might need them. And tatkal is all about doing things quickly. If you take time in adding the required information, you may get late in booking the tickets, and you might have to be a part of the tatkal waitlist.
- Log in to the portal five to ten minutes before the booking window opens. After logging in, enter the details in advance so that you only have to click on the book ticket tab. It will save so much time.
- Check the number of seats available for tatkal booking. If you try for the train that does not have vacant seats left, it would be a redundant task that would not bring in results.
- Keep your cards ready for payment. If you search for a card number or CVV at the end, you might lose time and get redirected to the initial stage again. The best method is payment via UPI. It is fast and convenient.
Even though tatkal booking facilities are there for your convenience, you might not get the seats sometimes. Trains run full throughout the year. So, in case it is urgent to a great extent, it would be better that you book tickets in advance.
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