Less than a month is left for Holi, and it’s a bit difficult for everyone to get confirmed train tickets. It happens not only during Holi but also when big festivals such as Dussehra and Diwali approach every year. If you are unable to get a confirmed train ticket to go home this Holi, take a look at the ways to get a confirmed ticket.
Even after booking a ticket, we often do not get a confirmed seat, especially on trains with busy routes like Delhi-Patna, Patna-Mumbai and Lucknow-Delhi, among others. So, we try to manage in others’ seats or berths or we have to travel standing.
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During ticket booking, you can select the alternative IRCTC scheme to resolve these issues. In 2015, IRCTC launched the VIKALP train ticket program to provide confirmed tickets to as many passengers as possible.
VIKALP Scheme
The VIKALP scheme was launched to make travelling on Indian Railways more convenient for passengers. It allows passengers to choose other trains and receive confirmed tickets while booking tickets online. The VIKALP scheme is also known as Alternate Train Accommodation Scheme (ATAS).
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How to choose the train ticket booking option:
Every time we book tickets, the first thing that we do is check the availability of tickets. When you notice that the seats on the train you want to travel with are either not available or that they are showing as waiting, then opt for the IRCTC Vikalp scheme. The scheme provides details of seven additional trains on the same route available to you including the booked train you are looking for and passengers can opt for a maximum of seven trains. Therefore, you can also select an optional ticket by going to the history of your booked tickets. Click the “Submit” button after choosing the option. Your ‘VIKALP’ option will become active.
A person opting for the VIKALP scheme should know that opting for VIKALP does not mean that a confirmed berth will be provided to passengers on an alternate train. It is subject to train and berth availability.
