IRCTC To Cut Advance Railway Ticket Booking Period From 120 Days To 60 From Nov 1

New Delhi: The advance reservation period for railway tickets has been reduced from 120 days to 60 days, effective November 1, CNBC-TV18 reported, citing sources.

The Railways clarified that bookings made under the current 120-day ARP before October 31 will remain valid. It also stated that any cancellations for bookings made beyond the new 60-day ARP will still be allowed.

The advance train ticket booking system is a feature that allows passengers to plan their journeys conveniently. Earlier, the Railways allowed this facility up to 120 days, or four months, in advance of the journey date. However, the new rules have reduced this window by half.

According to the official notice, the revised changes do not apply to certain daytime express trains, such as the Taj Express and Gomti Express, which have different advance reservation limits. Additionally, the 365-day advance booking option for foreign tourists will remain unchanged, the Railways said.

In September, the Railway Ministry said it was launching a “special” ticket-checking drive during the festive period to deter ticketless travel, as per a PTI report.

While no reason has been provided by the Railways for this change, it is expected to potentially increase ticket availability closer to travel dates. Besides the official ticket booking partner IRCTC, train tickets can also be booked on third-party platforms like Makemytrip, Paytm, and Rail Yatri, among others.

In the case of some intercity day trains, the ARP is shorter. Moreover, the Railways allows an individual to book tickets for only up to six passengers on one requisition form, provided that all passengers are travelling to the same destination and on the same train. An alternative facility provided by the Railways is the tatkal scheme, which allows passengers to book train tickets on short notice, typically available for travel within a day or two.