Indian Railways has updated its advance train ticket booking rules, reducing the reservation period from 120 days to 60 days before a train’s scheduled departure. This change will take effect on November 1, 2024. Passengers can book tickets on the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) platform up to 60 days in advance, making travel planning more flexible.
Importantly, this new rule will not affect tickets that have already been booked. Passengers who have made reservations under the 120-day policy will retain their bookings. The adjustment is intended to help passengers with spontaneous travel plans and to streamline the booking process. It addresses issues that arose from long advance booking periods, such as cancellations and no-shows, which have been problematic for many travelers.
According to officials, the decision to shorten the advance reservation period is aimed at improving passenger flow and enhancing the travel experience. The previous lengthy booking period had allowed ticket touts to exploit the system, prompting the need for this adjustment.
With the new rules, the Advance Reservation Period (ARP) will be set at 60 days, excluding the day of travel. All reservations made up until October 31, 2024, under the old ARP of 120 days will remain valid. Passengers will still be allowed to cancel bookings made beyond the 60-day advance period.
Certain daytime express trains, such as the Taj Express and Gomti Express, will not see any changes to their existing advance reservation limits. Additionally, the 365-day booking limit for foreign tourists will remain unchanged.
In tandem with these new booking rules, Indian Railways is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to improve its operations. AI-enabled cameras are being used to monitor the quality of food and linen, while an AI model has been introduced to optimize train occupancy. Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw mentioned that the AI system has led to over a 30% increase in confirmed ticket rates by analyzing data to predict seat availability shortly before train departures.
This innovative AI approach replaces the traditional method of evenly distributing seats at each station, allowing for more precise allocation based on demand. The initiative has already proven successful in pilot projects, such as the AI-based monitoring in kitchens that has significantly increased the verification rate of cleaned bed sheets.
With these improvements, Indian Railways aims to enhance customer satisfaction and streamline the travel experience for its passengers.
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