Can I book a ticket from Nagpur to Bangalore at Howrah ?
network, from any originating station to any destination at any of the 400 Computerized
Reservation Centers, across the country.
With the networking of New /Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Secunderabad and Chennai Passenger
Reservation Systems, you can now book your onward and return journey tickets from any
Computerized Reservation Center nearest to you not just from major railway stations.
This networking makes reservation of tickets faster and simpler. *Reservation can be made
subject to distance restrictions and availability of quotas.
How many days in advance can I reserve my ticket ?
You can reserve your tickets 60 days in advance, excluding the date of journey at the
train originating station. At intermediate stations where the train arrives the
following day, reservation can be done 61 days in advance. In the case of some
intercity day express trains, the advance reservation period is less.
How do I know the reservation status of my
ticket ?
The reservation status will be clearly indicated in your ticket. If your ticket is
confirmed, your coach and berth numbers will be mentioned on your ticket in all classes
other than first Class and AC First Class. For these, the word "Confirmed"
will be printed alongside the class of travel.
If your ticket is in RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation)/Waitlisted status,
the same will be mentioned on the ticket.
Can I board the train with a RAC/Waitlisted ticket
?
You can board the train with RAC ticket. You will be provided with sitting
accommodation initially and allotted a berth in case of any passengers not turning in the
train.
If you are holding a Waitlisted ticket,check the status of your ticket before boarding the
train. If the Waitlisted ticket has bot been confirmed or upgraded to RAC, please do
not board the reserved coaches. In case you do, you will be
find/detrained.Passengers with Waitlisted tickets in Rajdhani/shatabdi trains are not
allowed to travel in these fully reserved trains.
How do I find out the current status of my
ticket ?
You can contact the Inquiry Counters at your nearest Computerized Reservation Center
or call the Interactive Voice Response System, available at major
stations. Remember to always quote the 10 digit PNR number indicated
on the upper left hand corner of your ticket, to find out the current status.
How does the Interactive Voice Response System
work?
This is an automated telephone inquiry system which gives you details of accommodation
availability and the current status of your tickets. The telephone numbers may be
ascertained from the Station Manager/Reservation Office. The phone number at
metropolitan cities are as follows:
Calcutta: 136,137,138 Chennai:1361,1362,1363 Mumbai:
2656565 New Delhi: 1330,1335. On dialing these numbers you will be given
step-by-step instructions to get the required information.
This system is in addition to the telephone enquires attended to manually by the
operators.
What do I do if I cannot plan my journey in
advance ?
Though it is always advisable to plan your journey well in advance, there may be times
when this is not possible. For such situations, Indian Railways has introduced
the Tatkal Scheme in more than 100 trains. The details
of trains which have the Tatkal quota are indicated in the time table with a T
The reservation for the Tatkal quota starts at 8 a.m., on the
previous day of the journey. Accommodation is provided at a premium of Rs.
200/- for AC 2 Tier, Rs. 150/- for AC Tier, Rs. 50/- each
for Chair Car and Sleeper Class.
To prevent misuse of this facility, you will be required to present any one of these cards
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Credit card of a bank |
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Passport |
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Voter identity card with photograph |
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Driving license with photograph |
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Photo identity card with a serial number |
In addition, you will also be required to carry the
Tatkal Identity Card issued by the Railways, This identity card must also be carried
during your journey, otherwise you will be treated as travelling without ticket and will
be excess charged.
How much refund shall I get in case I cancel my
ticket booked under Tatkal Scheme ?
No refund is admissible on tickets books under Tatkal Scheme. However, in case
the Railways is not able to provide the Tatkal Coach, full refund including Tatkal
charges, will be paid to the passengers. Full refund including Tatkal charges, is
also admissible in case you do not wish to travel due to the departure of the train being
delayed by over three hours.
How many berths can be booked under the Tatkal quota
?
The identity card holder can book up to a maximum of six berths for
himself and his family members. If the identity card holder cancels his journey, all
berths reserved by him will also be cancelled and no refund will be given on the entire
ticket.
Can I book my tickets on a credit card ?
Yes. For your convenience, Indian Railways has exclusive counters where you can
reserve your tickets through credit cards. This facility is presently available only
at important Computerized Reservation Centers. No additional service charges
are levied when you reserve your tickets on a credit card.
Can I book my tickets through Travel Agents
If you are unable to book your tickets through the Railway Reservation Offices, you
can approach authorized Rail Travelers' Service Agents and Railway
Tourist Agents, who will book your tickets on payment of prescribed charges.
No separate reservation quotas have been assigned to these agents and their staff
have to take their turn in the Reservation Office for purchasing the tickets like any
other passenger.
Addresses and phone numbers of these Travel Agents can be obtained from the Station
Manager. Pleased do not buy tickets from unauthorized Travel Agents.
Are there any special facilities provided by
Indian Railways for foreign tourist?
Yes, there are Foreign tourists who wish to experience India by train, can enjoy the
special facilities earmarked for them. These are explained in greater detail below.
Special Quota: Several important trains have a special quota for
foreign tourists. This can be availed on payment of US Dollars or Pound Sterling.
Tourists without foreign currency, will be allotted the special quota on production
of the exchange certificates issued by any nationalized bank. At the time of
reservation, the passport number and the country of origin should be mentioned.
Assistance Cells Major Reservation Centers have special Cells to
help foreign tourists plan their itinerary, reserve their tickets and render any
assistance required.
The International Tourist Bureau: Situated on the first floor of
New Delhi Railway Station provides personalized service and assistance to foreign tourists
and NRIs regarding reservations, itinerary planning and other inquiries.
This Bureau is manned by trained staff and tourist guides, fluent in foreign
languages. For any assistance, please contact: The Manager
International Tourist Bureau, Floor, New Delhi Railway Station, New Delhi - 110001. Tel
011-3734164, 3346804 Fax : 011-3343050.
Indrail Pass: This travel ticket has been created especially for
foreign tourists and Indian nationals residing abroad. This ticket is available for
a specified time period from 1/2 day to 90 days. Indrail Passes
should be used within one year of issue. Validity period starts
from the date of the first train journey and ends on the midnight of the last journey.
During the period of validity, foreign tourists can travel from anywhere to anywhere on
the Indian Railways network without route of train restrictions and without payment of
additional charges.
Can I advance postpone my reservations?
The date of journey on confirmed/RAC/Waitlisted tickets can be advanced or
postponed in the same class on payment of fresh reservation charges. This facility
can be availed only once subject to availability of accommodation.
If you want to advance the date of your journey, you should surrender your ticket during
working hours and up to six hours before the scheduled departure of the
train in which fresh reservation is required. For postponement, the ticket must be
surrendered 24 hours before the scheduled departure of the train in which
reservation is presently held.
Can I change the boarding station?
Yes, you can. All you have to do is submit a written request to the Station
Manager of the original boarding station or contact any Computerized
Reservation Center, at least 24 hours before the departure of
the train. However, no refund is permissible for the unused portion of the journey.
Can I break my journey at any intermediate
station?
If you hold a ticket for a journey that is for more than 500 kms, you
are allowed one break of journey for two days at any
station enroute. %his facility can be availed only after travelling 500 kms
from the starting station. Similarly, if your ticket is for more than 100
kms, you will be allowed two breaks of journeys.
The day of departure and arrival must be excluded while calculating the number of days
eligible for break of journey. And remember to get your ticket endorsed by the Station
Manager/Ticket Collector at the station where you intend to break your journey.
Note:
- Any halt at intermediate stations for less than 24
hours to board a connecting train will not be treated as break of journey.
- This facility is not available to
passengers travelling by Rajdhani or shatabdi Express trains.
Can I extend my
journey beyond the original destination ?
Yes, IndianRailwas allows extension of
journey. This can be done by approaching the ticket checking staff either before
reaching your destination or after completion of booked journey. The fare for the
extended portion of the journey will be collected without the benefit of telescopic
rates.
Can I upgrade my
ticket to higher class enroute ?
Your reserved ticket for a lower class can be
upgraded to a higher class for the same train and date, subject to availability of
accommodation. The upgrading of accommodation can be done only once
on collection of fresh reservation charges and the fare difference. This can also be
done during the course of your journey by approaching the Travelling Ticket
Examiner.
Can my confirmed ticket be
transferred to somebody else ?
If you are holding a confirmed ticket and are unable to
travel, your ticket can be transferred to your family member viz., father, mother,
brother, sister, son, daughter, husband or wife. To transfer you ticket, you must
submit your request 24 hours in advance of the scheduled departure of the
train.
Tickets can also be transferred:
- To another Government Servant travelling on duty 24
hours in advance of the scheduled departure of the train.
- Other students of the recognized Educational Institute
when the Principal/Head make a request 48 hours in advance of the
scheduled departure of the train.
- Other members of the marriage party, if the head of such a
party makes a request 48 hours in advance of the scheduled departure of
the train.
- Other cadets of NCC,if the head of the group makes a
request 24 hours in advance of the scheduled departure of the train.
Such changes can be made only once if
the request does not exceed 10% of the total number of group
members.
What are Circular Journey Tickets?
If you wish to go on a pilgrimage or sightseeing trip to many destinations, Indian
Railways provides the facility of booking Circular Journey Tickets. These tickets
offer you unique travel flexibility as they are issued for all journeys
(other than regular routes) which begin and complete at the same station. Circular
Journey Tickets can be purchased for all classes of travel. A maximum of eight break
of journeys will be admissible on the these tickets.
Standard Circular Journey Tickets are also offered by zonal Railways.
These cover popular destinations for the convenience of tourists. The details
of route, fare etc., for these tickets can be obtained from nominated stations in each
Zonal Railway. You can purchase these tickets if any one of the standard routes
suits your convenience. Otherwise you can inform the Zonal Railways about your
itinerary and Circular Journey Tickets can be drawn up to suit your requirements.
What are the advantages of booking a Circular
journey Ticket ?
Circular Journey Tickets give you the benefit of telescopic rates,
which are considerably lower than regular point to point fare. These rates are
calculated on Mail/Express fares.
With these tickets, you not only save time but also the inconvenience of booking ticket at
each leg of the journey.
What is the booking procedure for Circular
Journey Tickets ?
Once your itinerary is finalized, you can approach the Divisional Commercial
Managers of the Division or certain major stations to which the journey
commencing station belongs.
The Divisional Commercial Manager the station authorities will the calculate the cost of
the ticket based on your itinerary. He will also inform the Station Manager
of the same, in a prescribed formet.
You can purchase Circular Journey Tickets by presenting this form at the Booking Office of
the station where you propose to start your journey. After Purchasing the
Circular Journey Ticket you must approach the Reservation Office
to reserve your accommodation for various laps of your journey. You will
then be issued reserved journey tickets for the journey.
Tell me about Tourist Cars and Reserved
Carriages..
For large groups travelling together, Indian Railways provides exclusive coaches that
can be attached to regular trains* according to your program. Besides the
convenience of travelling according to your own itinerary, you can also enjoy total
privacy and comfort.
These tourist cars are available in Second Class, Sleeper Class, First Class and
Air-conditioned First Class with facilities for cooking. The upper class coaches
have amenities such as linen, bath room, sitting cu dining room, attendants compartment,
etc.
*Spl. coaches cannot be attached to certain trains due to operational restrictions.
How do I book a Tourist Car/Reserved Carriage
?
You must apply to the Chief Passenger Transportation Manager at least
30 days in advance and not more than 6 months prior to
the commencement of the journey. Your application must include details such as
destination, route to be followed, halts enroute and the specific train to which the
Tourist Car/Railway Carriages is to be attached.
How much does it cost to book a Tourist
Car/Reserved Carriage ?
Initially, you need to pay Rs. 50000/- per coach as security deposit
to the Station Manager of the originating station.
Charges will then be calculated on a point to point basis. Full adult Mail/Express
fares will be charged for actual number of persons travelling or the marked carrying
capacity of the coach, whichever is higher.
The charges must be paid in full, 48 hours in advance of the departure of
the train to which these coaches are to be attached.
How can I book a Special Train ?
For the convenience of passengers travelling in large groups, Indian Railways allows
for the booking of special trains for a minimum distance of 500 kms and a
minimum composition of 15 coaches.
There are some guidelines to help you book a special train:
submit an application in the prescribed from to the Chief Passengers
Transportation Manager through the Station Manager of the
station from where the journey is to commence.
* In your application give details such as destination, route to be followed and his
enroute.
* The application must be submitted atleast 30 days in advance and
not more than six months prior to the commencement of the journey.
* The application should be accompanied by a Security Deposit of Rs.
75,000/- for 15 coaches, at the rate of Rs.
5,000/- per coach.
The cost of booking a special train will vary with the distance to be covered. The
charges will include fare, service detention charge and empty haulage charge, The
stipulated charges must be paid 48 hours in advance of the departure of
the train.
How much luggage am I allowed to carry ?
Each passenger is allowed a Free Allowance upto which he can carry
luggage with him in the compartment, free of cost. The free Allowance varies for
different classes of travel. Children aged 5 and below 12
years are allowed half of the Free allowance subject to the Maximum of 50
kgs. You are also permitted a Marginal Allowance. There
is a maximum ceiling on the luggage which can be carried inside the compartment for
each class. These are indicated in the table below:
What if my luggage exceeds the Free Allowance ?
If your luggage marginally exceeds the Free Allowance, you will be charged at normal
luggage rates applicable to your class of travel.
Make sue to book your excess baggage in the Luggage Office, pay the
prescribed charges and get your tickets endorsed by cross-referencing the luggage ticket
details, before commencing your journey. Pleased note that Free Allowance is not
admissible for articles such as scoter, cycles, etc.
What if my luggage gets stolen en route ?
In case of theft of luggage, robbery/dacoity in running trains, you can approach train
conductors/coach attendants and guards. they will give you FIR FORMS,
Which may be duly filled-in and handed over to them. the complaint will then
be forwarded to the Government Railway Police for necessary will then be
forwarded to the Government Railway Police for necessary action.
You need not break your journey to lodge a complaint with the police.
Alternatively, you can also approach the RPF Assistance Posts at major
railway stations, to lodger your complaint.
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