Tatkal booking timings to change

The timings for booking Tatkal tickets in AC and non-AC classes will change from June 15 as the Railways has staggered the schedule to reduce the load on the ticketing site and booking windows.

Currently, the booking under Tatkal scheme opens at 10 am on the previous day of journey from train originating station.

“It has been decided that from June 15, timings for booking of Tatkal tickets will be staggered for AC and non-AC classes to 10 AM onwards and 11 AM onwards respectively,” said a senior Railway Ministry official.

“The change has been effected to facilitate hassle-free booking by reducing the load on the server,” he said.

Currently about 10,000 to 12,000 tickets are being booked online IRCTC ticketing site at peak hours. “Staggering the timing for AC and non-AC Tatkal tickets will help reducing load at windows and the ticketing sites,” he said.

Hence, now the reservation under Tatkal scheme will open at 10 AM on the previous day of journey from train originating station for AC classes whereas that for non-AC classes will start at 11 AM on the previous day of journey from train originating station.

Moreover, all types of ticketing agents including IRCTC agents will now be debarred from booking non-Tatkal tickets for 30 minutes from the opening of bookings, that is from 8 am to 8.30 am for general classes, from 10 am to 10.30 am for Tatkal AC classes, and from 11 am to 11.30 am for Tatkal non-AC classes.