With one of the world’s largest train networks, Indian Railways serves more than 2 crore passengers daily. Indian Railways launched the Tatkal Reservation programme in 1997 to assist customers travelling on short notice and safeguard them from deceitful individuals or touts. Each train has a set number of seats designated for the Tatkal quota.
The ability to assign Tatkal lodgings in various classes has been granted to Zonal Railways, who will do so by considering the availability of accommodations and the utilisation rates in each class throughout the preceding fiscal year.
The accommodation so designated, however, may never exceed the maximum of 30% of the coach’s capacity, depending on how this quota was used over the previous six months.
Around 3.05 lakh seats/berths, or roughly 20.16% of the total capacity, are available for booking each day under the Tatkal or Premium Tatkal scheme out of the total daily capacity of approximately 15.14 lakh berths/seats.
Furthermore, zonal Railways have been instructed to adopt the Tatkal system in passenger trains with an average utilisation rate of greater than 60% during the preceding fiscal year. The Tatkal reservation system opens one day prior to the departure of the train from the origin station.
For AC classes, the Tatkal booking process begins at 10:00 a.m. Additionally, for non-AC sessions, at 11:00 a.m. All authorised ticketing agents of Indian Railways and IRCTC are prohibited from booking Tatkal tickets on the first day of reservation between 10:00 am and 10:15 am for tickets. In AC classes and between 11:00 am and 11:15 am for non-AC classes in order to benefit passengers.
Can I book several Tatkal tickets at once?
For Tatkal tickets, only a maximum of 4 Passengers per PNR can book tickets. Only one Tatkal ticket can be purchased online on each train and day by IRCTC web services representatives.
