Indian Railways, the backbone of the nation’s transportation system, serves millions of passengers daily with its extensive network. However, unexpected changes in travel plans, such as the need to alter passenger details or reschedule journey dates, are not uncommon. To accommodate such scenarios, Indian Railways has provisions for modifying names and journey dates on confirmed tickets. Whether booked online through IRCTC or offline at reservation counters, passengers can follow specific procedures to make changes. Here you can check the eligibility criteria, step-by-step processes, and essential conditions for making these modifications seamlessly.
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Change name in a booked train ticket
Indian Railways permits passengers to transfer their confirmed tickets to another person under certain conditions, but this facility is restricted to offline tickets booked at railway reservation counters.
Eligibility criteria for name change in booked train ticket
- The ticket can only be transferred to a close family member, including father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter, husband, or wife.
- For group bookings made by government officials, students on educational tours, or similar cases, tickets can be transferred within the group.
Change name in booked train ticket; offline tickets only
- Visit a reservation office: Go to the nearest railway reservation office at least 24 hours before the train’s departure.
- Written request: Submit a written application requesting the name change.
- Proof of identity: Provide valid ID proofs for both the original ticket holder and the new passenger.
- Submission: Hand over the required documents to the railway authorities, who will process the request.
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Important rules and conditions
- Name changes are allowed only once per ticket.
- The facility is not available for online tickets booked via the IRCTC platform.
- The process must be completed within the stipulated timeline, failing which the request will be denied.
Change journey date in a booked train ticket
Passengers can modify the journey date of their train tickets under certain conditions. This facility is available for both online and offline tickets, but the process differs based on the mode of booking.
Change journey date for offline train tickets (counter bookings)
- Visit the reservation office: Approach the nearest railway reservation office at least 48 hours before the train’s departure.
- Provide original ticket: Carry the original ticket and submit a request to either:
- Postpone: Shift the journey to a date later than the original travel date.
- Prepone: Shift the journey to a date earlier than the original travel date.
- Select an alternative date: Choose a new journey date within the ticket’s validity period.
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Change journey date for online train tickets (booked via IRCTC)
- Currently, date modification is not supported for online tickets.
- Passengers must cancel their existing ticket and book a new one for the desired date.
- Standard cancellation charges will apply as per Indian Railways’ rules.
Key conditions for journey date change on booked train tickets
- Date modification is available only for confirmed or RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation) tickets.
- Tatkal and waitlisted tickets are ineligible for date changes.
- Modifications are subject to seat availability on the new travel date.
- Changes can be made only once per ticket, and valid ID proof must be provided.
Important points to remember
- Ensure all modifications are requested well within the stipulated timelines (24 hours for name changes and 48 hours for date changes).
- Name changes are limited to tickets booked at reservation counters and cannot be made online.
- Date modifications for online tickets require cancellation and rebooking, with applicable charges.
- Always carry a valid ID proof while submitting modification requests.
