Tatkal Train Ticket Booking: Timing, Charges, And Refunds

Are you planning a last-minute trip? Well, IRCTC has got you covered. A lot of times it happens that there is an urgent event that you have to attend but in a different city. What to do when you have not booked your tickets in advance? Worry not, as IRCTC allows its passengers to book train seats even a day before the travel date through its prominent Tatkal scheme. Need to book tickets for immediate travel plans? The Tatkal ticket booking scheme is your quickest option.

Tatkal ticket booking by Indian Railways is offered for most of its trains across all reserved classes. So, whether it is sleeper, 3AC, 2AC, or 1AC you can get your ticket last minute. However, of course, there is a high possibility you may not get seats as there are only limited seats under Tatkal bookings. First come, first served basis.

Tatkal ticket booking time

The Tatkal ticket timing starts one day prior to the date of the journey from the originating station of the train. Like if you are traveling from Kanpur to Delhi on Rajdhani Patna Express, then the starting date of the journey will be counted from the day the Rajdhani express started from Patna. For example, if you are traveling on the 3rd, Tatkal ticket booking time would be 10:00 hrs on the 2nd.

The date of the journey means the date on which the chart is prepared. Therefore, if the train is starting from its origin station on the 3rd and reaches the train station from which you are boarding on the 4th, then the IRCTC Tatkal booking time will begin on the 2nd and not on the 3rd.

Moreover, if you want to book AC class tickets (2A/3A/CC/EC/3E), then the tatkal booking time will start from 10:00 AM. Meanwhile, Tatkal timing for non-AC class (SL/FC/2S) starts from 11:00 AM onwards.

Also, there is no Senior Citizen Quota available for Tatkal booking on any train.

Tatkal ticket booking fare

IRCTC has to reserve seats for the Tatkal ticket booking, therefore it charges an additional fee for the bookings. Suppose, the normal ticket cost is Rs 900, then you will have to pay around Rs 1300 for the Tatkal ticket. IRCTC imposes an additional 30% of the basic fare for all travel classes, except for the second class (sitting) which has a fixed rate of an additional 10%.

How to book tatkal ticket online

– Visit the IRCTC website- irctc.co.in

– Tatkal booking time for AC class tickets is 10:00 AM

– Tatkal booking time for Non-AC class tickets is 11:00 AM

– Login with your IRCTC user ID and password. Create an IRCTC account if you do not have an account already. To create one click on the “Sign Up” button and read the following instructions.

– After logging in click on “Book Ticket”.

– Go to the booking type and select the “Tatkal” booking type then proceed to fill in all the details including source station, destination station, and travel date.

– Select your preferred train and class for your journey.

– Enter your details in the passenger details.

– You can select your berth preference. However, there is no certainty of getting your chosen berth seat. As lower births are most often given to elderly people.

– Now review the fare and other details, and then click on “Proceed to Payment”

– You have several options for making the payment like credit card, debit card, net banking, UPI, or other available options.

– Confirm your booking.

– Download the e-ticket and you are good to go

Tatkal ticket cancellation procedure and refund

You do not get a refund on the cancellation of confirmed tatkal tickets but waitlisted tatkal ticket cancellations are subject to some deductions as per the IRCTC rules. You can cancel your waiting list or RAC Tatkal tickets latest by 30 minutes prior to the departure of the train.

If the wait listed Tatkal tickets do not get confirmed or RAC, those tickets automatically get canceled and the passenger gets a refund. Moreover, if your train is running late by 3 hours or got canceled by the Indian Railways then you are entitled to file Ticket Deposit Receipt (TDR) for claiming a refund of your tatkal tickets.

You can also book your Tatkal tickets from the IRCTC app or other third party apps like Paytm.

Also read: Use This Simple Trick While Booking Tatkal Ticket On IRCTC And Get Confirmed Tickets