If you have ever had to travel suddenly by train, then you must have heard the name of ‘Tatkal Ticket’. This facility is no less than a boon for passengers traveling in emergency situations. Now Indian Railways has made many important changes to make this service more accessible, transparent and safe.
What is Tatkal Ticket Service?
Tatkal ticket is a special facility of Indian Railways, under which you can book tickets for limited seats a day before the date of travel.
Its main purpose is to give priority to passengers who need emergency or sudden travel. However, this process is quite competitive due to the limited number of tickets and bookings filling up fast.
Why did the Railways make changes?
According to the Railways, the Tatkal ticket system was being constantly misused by agents and brokers, causing a lot of trouble to the common passengers.
The new system has now made the booking process:
- Transparent
- Fast
- And fraud-free
Booking schedule as per new time
Indian Railways has fixed different booking timings as per the class to avoid heavy traffic on the website or app:
- AC Class (2AC, 3AC, Executive, CC): Booking starts at 10:00 am
- Sleeper Class (SL): Booking starts at 11:00 am
This change has reduced the problem of server crashes and slow websites to a great extent.
New Tatkal ticket prices
Now the Tatkal ticket prices are determined on the demand based (Dynamic Pricing) system.
Meaning: The more crowded the train, the more expensive the ticket.
Average estimated prices:
- Sleeper Class: Up to ₹600
- 3AC: Up to ₹1800
- 2AC: Up to ₹2600
- Chair Car: Up to ₹950
- Executive AC: Up to ₹3700
(Prices may vary according to distance, train and route)
ID proof now mandatory
Every passenger is required to provide a valid photo identity card at the time of booking.
- Valid identity card:
- Aadhaar card
- Voter ID
- Driving license
- PAN card
- Passport
This will prevent fake bookings and ensure the safety of passengers.
How to book?
Tatkal tickets can be booked in two ways:
- Book yourself from IRCTC website or mobile app
- Book from railway station ticket counter
Tip: While booking from the website, keep high-speed internet and all the information (ID, payment details) ready.
What are the benefits?
- Booking process is now faster and transparent
- Significant reduction in frauds through agents
- Freedom for common passengers to book on their own
- Technical problems reduced
There are some challenges too
- Dynamic pricing can make tickets expensive
- Elderly or tech-savvy people can still face problems
Conclusion: A positive step, some preparation required
This new initiative of Indian Railways opens the way for a convenient and secure booking system for passengers.
If you login on time, keep your ID and payment details ready, then you can easily book Tatkal tickets without any agent.
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