About Tatkal Ticket Booking: Myths Busted And Realities Revealed

Indian Railways is the lifeline for millions of passengers every day. However due to the extreme rush it is difficult to secure a confirmed ticket in case of a sudden journey as most of the tickets are booked. It is in such a situation that Railways’ Tatkal ticket scheme comes to the rescue.

Tatkal ticket provides a last minute booking option for train travellers. However this popular service is often surrounded by a cloud of uncertainty as there are many myths and speculations going around it.

In this blog we are going to explain about the tatkal scheme, separate myths from realities around this and the recent changes introduced by the Indian Railways. Whether you are a daily commuter or an occasional train traveller, this blog is going to help all kinds of travellers in using this service smartly.

About Tatkal ticket

The Tatkal ticket was introduced by the Indian Railways in 1997, under the leadership of then Railway Minister Mr. Nitish Kumar. Under this scheme a limited number of seats are opened for booking just one day before the departure of a train. 

 Important Features of Tatkal Ticket:

1. Tatkal ticket booking opens one day before the date of departure. The date of departure here means departure from the origin station and not your boarding station.
2. Booking opens at 10AM for Air conditioned coaches while for Sleeper coaches booking opens at 11AM. 
3. Tatkal is available for all classes excluding First AC and General Coaches.
4. A small additional Tatkal charge is levied on the train ticket.
5. Tickets are limited and often end up in seconds.

The idea behind the Tatkal scheme is simple: to provide a quick booking solution to the passenger. However, this important rail service has been shrouded with confusion and doubts.

Tatkal Ticket: Debunking Myths and Verifying Realities

Here are some of the myths and realities associated with Tatkal ticket booking: 

Myth 1: Tatkal tickets Are Never Confirmed

One of the biggest reasons that discourage passengers towards tatkal train ticket booking is the belief that these tickets never get confirmed. Many people believe that once they get the Waiting List or Reservation Against Cancellation status it will stay there till the end and never get Confirmed.

Reality: Right Timing Ensures Confirmed Tatkal Ticket

In truth, Tatkal tickets do get Confirmed if booked at the right time. The tatkal booking opens one day before the departure of the train at 10AM for Air-conditioned classes and 11AM for Sleeper classes. Passengers who are better prepared, log in early, pre-save passenger details and use faster payment methods most often get a confirmed tatkal ticket.

You can use Indian Railway PNR Status to see your booking in the real time. You can use this service at RailMitra to see all the developments in the status of your booking.

Myth 2: All of the tickets are booked by Agents

This particular myth is based on the experiences before the new Railways rules where Agents actually booked most of the tickets. Agents were notorious for using scripts and automated tools to book all the train tickets within seconds. When the real passengers logged in, all they found was that seats had been booked. 

Reality: New Railway Rules Restricts Agents for 30 minutes

The new Railway Rules brought out many changes in ticket booking rules. An eminent provision of the new changes is regarding train ticket booking agents.

• Agents are barred from booking tickets for the first 30 minutes after the booking opens. This means agents can’t book Tatkal tickets for AC classes from 10-10:30 AM and Sleeper Classes from 11-11:30 AM. 
• Online Tatkal ticket booking now mandates Aadhar authentication.
• Tickets booked through the Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters and authorised agents will also need OTP authentication. 

Today, Railway passengers can fairly and securely book an IRCTC confirmed tatkal ticket if they are attentive and careful. Before booking any ticket do not forget to do a train seat availability search.

Myth 3: One person can book unlimited number of Tatkal tickets

Many people believe that an experienced train ticket bookie can get an unlimited number of Tatkal tickets with the help of multiple devices and a fast internet. They think that some individuals can book many tickets by themselves leaving other passengers in shambles.

Reality: Restriction on number of bookings

Tatkal ticket booking has several restrictions in place that limit the number of tickets booked by an individual. An individual can book a maximum number of 2 Tatkal tickets on one IP address. Four passengers per ticket is the maximum limit. Only one ticket can be booked with a single login session. For another ticket, you have to log in again. 

Myth 4: Tatkal tickets are non-refundable

Another misconception with the tatkal ticket is that it is non-refundable. If you change your travel plans with a tatkal ticket all your money spent in booking will be lost.

Reality: Some tatkal tickets are refundable

The refund policy for tatkal tickets is nuanced and not straightforward as the misconception portrays. Following are the different tatkal cancellation rules:

•  Confirmed tatkal tickets are not cancelled and no refund is provided for their cancellation.
• RAC and Waiting List tickets can be cancelled with only a minimal clerkage charge.
• Waiting List tickets are automatically cancelled and the refund process initiated in case it is not confirmed.
•  If the train is cancelled or delayed by more than 3 hours, you would be provided a refund even if you got a Confirmed tatkal ticket.

Delays in trains are common. Use RailMitra helpful Live train running status service that tracks a train’s journey in real time. By using this service you can find if your train is delayed or on time. You can even find the live station and the platform on which the train will arrive. Using this service you can know about changes in train timings beforehand and make appropriate adjustments in your schedule.

To know more about train cancellation rules, read here: Train Ticket Cancellation Rules and Charges

Recent changes in Tatkal Ticket Booking Rules

Indian Railways has introduced some changes in Tatkal ticket booking rules that will be effective from 1st July 2025. Let’s look at these changes:

1. All online tatkal ticket bookings to be made through Aadhar verified accounts only.
2. Aadhar based OTP verification will be mandatory for online and offline tatkal ticket booking post 15 July 2025.
3. Ticketing agents can’t book tatkal tickets for the first 30  minutes. This means agents can’t access tatkal booking from 10:00-10:30 AM for AC Classes and 11:00-11:30 AM for non-AC Classes.
4. There has been a hike in ticket prices.
5. Passenger fare for Non-AC Mail/ Express trains will be increased by 1 paise per Kilometer and 
6. For AC Coaches, 2 paise per kilometer would be charged extra for Mail/Express trains.
7. For Suburban and Second Class coaches no increase in price for the first 500 kilometres.For distance beyond that, 0.5 paise per kilometer would be increased in Passenger fare.

Conclusion

Tatkal ticket booking is one of the most crucial and important services in Indian Railways for last minute travel booking. Despite its popularity many misconceptions like agent dominance, ticket cancellation and refund policy surround this service. The reality however, is quite different when you understand railway rules and act smartly.

RailMitra, your best friend on the train, provides a seamless access to important rail services like PNR Check, train seat availability and live train running status. Whether it’s about checking booking status or where my train is, RailMitra’s fast services are always at your service.

Therefore, travel free, stay aware and enjoy travel with RailMitra!