Railway Ticket Booking Rules Change: The Indian Railway Board provided an explanation regarding the decision to reduce the advance ticket reservation period from 120 days to 60 days. It stated that the longer reservation period was leading to a high number of cancellations, resulting in wastage of berths. This is why the decision was made, the board clarified.
The Indian Railway Board explained that the longer advance booking period allowed some people to block seats early, while a shorter period would be more convenient for genuine travelers. It mentioned that with fewer cancellations and if there is higher demand from passengers, the Railway Department would be able to arrange special trains accordingly. The Railway Board also noted that changes to the advance booking period have been made over time. It has ranged from 30 days to 120 days, and based on experiences from various durations, they have found that a 60-day period is beneficial for travelers. The Railway Board recalled that several changes were made to this policy from April 1981 to 2015.
The Indian Railways recently made a significant decision regarding ticket reservations. Currently, passengers can book tickets up to 120 days in advance, but this has been reduced to 60 days. For this, changes were made to IRCTC regulations. The new rule will come into effect from November 1, 2024. However, those who have already booked tickets will not face any inconvenience, according to railway officials. Although the new rule takes effect on November 1, the old rule will apply to bookings made up until October 31. There are no changes in the booking procedures for trains like the Taj Express and Gomti Express, which already have a shorter booking window. Additionally, foreign tourists will still have the option to book tickets up to 365 days in advance, with no changes to this provision.
