Rail ticket booking period cut from 120 days to 60

Nagpur: The Railway Board has decided to reduce the time limit for advance reservation of tickets from 120 days to 60 days. The orders will be effective from November 1, 2024.
A Railway Board circular issued on October 16, 2024 states that all the bookings up to October 31, 2024, will remain intact. Besides, cancellation of bookings made beyond the reservation period of 60 days will, however, be permitted.
The Railway Board has clarified that the new rule will not apply to tatkal and premium tatkal bookings, which will continue to have a shorter reservation period. The tatkal booking opens at 10am, one day before a train's departure, while premium tatkal booking opens at 10am, two days before a train's departure. There will be no change in case of a limit of 365 days for foreign tourists.
ZRUCC member Satish Yadav welcomed the decision as 120 days was too long to plan trips. "The decision will provide relief to passengers who often find it difficult to plan their travel four months in advance. The move will also help in reducing the number of vacant seats in trains, as passengers will now have the flexibility to book tickets closer to their travel dates," said Yadav.
Railways have already introduced the ‘Vikalp' scheme which allows passengers to opt for an alternative train in case their original train is delayed or cancelled. Under this scheme, passengers can choose to travel on any other train on the same route, without any extra charge.
"The reduction in the reservation period is expected to benefit both the railways and passengers. While railways will be able to manage its inventory better, passengers will have more flexibility in planning their travel. The move is also expected to reduce the number of cancellations and waitlisted tickets, as passengers will now have the option to book tickets closer to their travel dates," said Basant Shukla, general secretary of Bharatiya Yatri Kendra.