India - How to Book Railway Ticket Online

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Procedure

Apply Online

• Enter the URL http://www.irctc.co.in by using a browser.
• Enter the user name, password, and click Login.The reservation page appears.
• Enter the first three characters of your source journey in the From field. The reservation system prompts you to select from the list of sources.
• Enter the first three characters of your destination journey in the To field. The reservation system prompts you to select from the list of sources.
• Select the date from the calender.
• Choose the ticket type - i-ticket, e-ticket.
• Choose the quota type - General, Tatkal, Ladies
• Click Find Trains. The train list is displayed on the right side.
• Select the train and choose the berth type (SL,3A,2A,1A,2S,Chair Car (CC),FA).
• The page refreshes and displays the availability.
• Click Book on the chosen date that has availability.
• The system refreshes and displays the reservation form.
• Enter the passenger name (15 characters are allowed), age, sex(male, female), type of berth (lower, middle, side lower,side upper, upper).
• Enter the passenger mobile number.
• Enter the verification code.
• Click Go.
• The system prompts you to select the type of payment - credit card, netbanking, debit card, mobile payment
• Choose your convenient payment type and make the payment.
• The reservation system prepares to display the ticket.You should wait for sometime to see the ticket.But, do not refresh the page or navigate to previous page.If you do so,the ticket will not be booked, but the amount will be debited from your account.
• You will receive a text message (SMS) from IRCTC about your journey details. You can show the SMS to the railway Ticket Collector (TC)with a valid document (PAN Card, Ration Card, Aadhar Card,Voter Card).
• You can also book online tickets in India with the help of other websites, there are so many website which has the facility of booking online tickets in India but all of them acts only as third part website and they all process query based on India railway website ticket availability. They accepts online payments through credit card or debit card or internet banking. You will require bank ifsc code for online money transaction in India. Some vendors accepts online money transfer through internet banking facility which requires IFSC Code. You can find all bank ifsc code here http://www.1000ifsccode.com

Timing

• Website is operational from 0030 hrs to 2330 hrs.

Types of Tickets

• An iTicket is a physical ticket that is couriered to you after you make the booking online
• An eTicket is an online ticket. A soft copy (on your phone) or printout should be carried while travelling.
• A Tatkal ticket is an emergency ticket whose booking opens only 1 day in advance (excluding the date of travel). Bookings begin at 10:00 am from Monday to Sunday.

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Required Documents

You should be a registered user to book railway tickets. If you want to register, acces the URL http://www.irctc.co.in.

• Aadhaar Card

Office Locations & Contacts

Please list down the office locations that can be approched for applying. External links can also be used specifying office locations.

Eligibility

• You should be a registered user to book the tickets online
• Your mobile number should be verified
• Your email id should be verified

Fees

• A transaction fee is levied for Second Class (2S),3 Tier AC,2 Tier AC,1 Tier AC tickets if you are paying through the debit card, credit card, or internet banking
• A premium amount is levied for Tatkal tickets which varies from source to destination and type of train service (express, superfast,special train,passenger)

Validity

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Documents to Use

Please attach documents which can be used by people who would like to follow this procedure.  
 

Sample Documents

Please attach sample completed documents which would help other people who would like to follow this procedure.

Processing Time

Please explain processing time taken in obtaining the document/certificate.

Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications. Attach  
videos using the following tag <&video type="website">video  
ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites. Please remove the 
"&"  inside the tags during implementation. Website = allocine, blip,  
dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe,  
myspace, revver, sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of  
webpage where the video is displayed. e.g In the following url 
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M" Video ID is "Y0US7oR_t3M".

Instructions

Please provide instructions on obtaining the certificate/documents.
e.g. The state office holds birth records since january 1908.

Required Information

• Payment through credit card, debit card or net banking
• Mobile No and Email Address are mandatory and are verified
• A government proof of identity is required while traveling (for eTickets).

Need for the Document

The Indian Railways online bookings are administered by Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC Ltd). Confirmed/RAC(Reservation against Cancellation) or Wait listed tickets can be booked online.

Information which might help

* Advance booking before 120 days from the date of travel

• A Waitlisted eTicket is automatically cancelled once the chart is prepared and the money will be refunded to account, which is debited while booking.

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

• IRCTC Website for Online Booking
• Railway's Information Site Only

Others

Mobiles

• Railway tickets can be booked NGPAY from your mobile