How To Use Computers to Reserve Train Tickets in India
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is a national railroad network operated by the Indian government. The railway network is the third largest in the world, after Russia and China. E-tickets and computer reservations are standard throughout the Indian railway system, and you can book long and short distance trains online. The IRCTC website does not accept non-Indian credit cards, so visitors need to book train travel through the IRCTC-authorized third-party website Cleartrip.
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Instructions
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Go to the IRCTC booking page on the Cleartrip.com website. Select your travel date if you must travel on a specific date. Leave the travel date blank to see all scheduled trains between your selected cities, because the train schedules can vary day to day, and many trains do not operate on Sundays.
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Enter your departure and arrival cities. Choose the appropriate station from the drop-down menu if you are planning a departure or arrival from a city with multiple stations, such as Mumbai or New Delhi. Select your desired class, though the results page will show you other options if your selection is unavailable. Click the orange button labeled "Search Trains."
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Change the currency display in the drop-down menu on the upper left side of the page to your home currency. Review the train departure times, number of stops and total trip duration in the center results section of the page. Change the class in the drop-down menu below the fare for trips you are considering to see the cost of tickets for other classes on the train.
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Check under the blue underlined train name, such as Mahalaxmi Express or Mumbai Express, and make sure that the stations listed are correct for your trip and are not suburban destinations before the central city stop. Click the gray button labeled "Check Availability & Book" for the timing and fare that suits you.
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Change the class setting to check for seats in another class on the same train if only RAC or wait list seats are available. RAC (reservation against cancellation) tickets allow you to board the train and stand in hallways and boarding areas, only allotting you a seat when another ticket holder cancels. Click the orange "Book" button if seats are available for your chosen train.
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Double-check your dates and times on the next page and click the orange "Continue" button. Enter your email address, passenger name, seat and meal preferences, telephone number and credit card information. Print your ticket confirmation and take it on your trip.
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Check online the day of your departure for your car and seat assignment on the Cleartrip status update page, because an e-ticket guarantees you a seat on a train, but it will not list your seat assignment.
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Tips & Warnings
Bookings open up 90 days in advance and can fill up quickly for popular routes. Book at least two months in advance if possible.
The classes AC First Class, AC2 Sleepers and AC Chair Car are recommended for visitors to India. In other cars, passengers are packed up against one another and literally fight for seats, and conditions are extremely hot and stuffy. AC2 is comfortable and has the best value to price ratio.
If you are unable to check online for your seat assignment before going to the train station, check the bulletin board next to the train platform or the printouts next to every train car door for your listing. They are organized alphabetically by last name.
The reservation system can be busy, with seat availability changing rapidly, during the Indian work day. The best time to make a train booking is after 7:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
The Indian Railway reservation system closes between between 11:30 p.m. and 5 a.m., Indian Standard Time, which is 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
You need to show your passport to the train conductor when traveling on an e-ticket, so be sure to have it with you and accessible when traveling.
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