A Tatkal ticket is a glimmer of hope for those who have not been able to get a train booking or have made last minute travel plans by train. Unlike a regular railway ticket booking where you can book six seats under one PNR Number, in a Tatkal ticket, you are allowed to book only four seats per PNR Number. You can use this PNR Number to check the PNR status of your Tatkal ticket before the chart preparation in case you have a WL or RAC ticket. You can book a Tatkal ticket for all classes except AC First Class. From one IP address, only two tickets (Sleeper or AC) can be booked between 8 am to 12 noon and only two tickets per IRCTC user ID can be booked between 10:AM to 12 Noon under Tatkal booking.
# When can you book a Tatkal ticket
Tatkal ticket bookings open one day before, excluding the date of the journey of the train from the origin station. For instance, if you plan to travel on a 2nd January train, the Tatkal booking for the same will open on 1st January.
# Booking a Tatkal ticket
- Online booking time for Tatkal ticket
A Tatkal ticket can be booked at the IRCTC website by logging into your user account. The booking opening time for a Tatkal ticket is 10 AM for an AC Class ticket and 11 AM for sleeper class one day before the journey date. It is advisable to log in to the website ten minutes before this time. These bookings are very much in demand and there are a limited number of tickets so logging in beforehand improves your booking chances.
- Online Tatkal ticket booking process
Once the booking opens on the website, you need to select the origin station, journey date and the booking quota as ‘Tatkal’. After you click on the tab ‘Book Now’, you can enter your personal details for the booking. When you book a tatkal e-ticket you get the option to book your tickets only if confirm berths are allotted. The last step in the booking process is entering your bank details to make the online payment.
- Booking a Tatkal ticket offline
You can also get a Tatkal ticket booked from a PRS counter at any railway station.
# Charges for booking a Tatkal ticket
Tatkal fare of any train ticket is a minimum of 30 percent of the basic fare of that ticket. In addition to that, you will be required to pay a Tatkal charge. Depending on the kind of ticket you select ( Sleeper, Ac, Executive, etc) you would be charged from a minimum of INR 10 to a maximum of INR 500.
# Checking the train PNR status of a Tatkal booking
Unless you have selected the option ‘Book only if confirm berths are allotted’, you can also get a tatkal ticket with a WL (waitlist)/RAC status. You can check the PNR status of a Tatkal ticket the same way as you check that of a regular ticket by using the PNR Number.
Tatkal bookings are extremely helpful for passengers who make last-minute travel plans or need to travel for emergencies.