Can you imagine those days you had to wait in long queues to book train tickets? Whether the booking was well in advance or just before the travel date, the situation was the same. Keeping up with the counter timings was another challenge. At times, a whole day had to be dedicated to ticket booking.
With advanced technology, IRCTC has made train ticket booking hassle-free and seamless. Read on to understand how you can book tickets online to any destination across the country in the comfort of your home and at any time.
Advantages of Online Train Ticket Booking
In this fast-paced world, convenience and time-saving is a priority. To book train tickets online is the order of the day. Booking train tickets online in the comfort of your home and at a time convenient for you using the IRCTC app or any other IRCTC partner app like Railofy has become very popular. The advantages of choosing the online option for train ticket booking are:
Seamless Registration Process
You can also book train tickets through the IRCTC website or the Railofy website. Either way, registration on the IRCTC website is mandatory for generating the IRCTC user ID which will be required every time you use the website for booking train tickets online. The registration process is simple and hassle-free. You will have to enter some personal details like name, email ID, mobile number, and date of birth. Once the registration process is completed, you can create a unique user ID and password. The website is user-friendly and makes the registration process seamless.
Convenient
With the online train ticket booking option, you can book train tickets from the comfort of your home. All you need is an Internet Connection and a laptop or a smartphone. The booking services are available 24 x 7, which enhances the convenience. Whether it is on a non-working day or beyond counter timings, you can book the train tickets with just a few clicks.
Time-Saving
The online train ticket booking option spares you from wasting time standing in long queues. Instead, you can easily book train tickets at any hour of the day from the convenience of your home or office.
Multiple Payment Options
Unlike earlier times IRCTC offers several payment options on their website as well as a mobile app for making the payment for booking tickets. The payment options available are credit/debit card, net banking, or UPI. The payment gateways are safe and secure. Your financial and personal information is not compromised. An e-ticket is generated, and you need not carry a physical ticket.
Other Advantages
The additional advantages you get on online train ticket booking facility are:
- Live Train Status Check, wherein you can get information about the arrival and departure time of the train at different stations, any delay, etc
- PNR Status. You can review the PNR status if your tickets are on the waitlist. If the tickets are not confirmed, you can look for alternative travel options or cancel the ticket and receive a full refund.
- Can order the food of your choice from top-rated restaurants and get it delivered to your seat. Saves you the burden of carrying food.
- You have a seat preference depending on the availability, book tourist packages, and avail of travel insurance.
- There is a section that takes care of any queries. A comprehensive user guide is available on the IRCTC website.
Procedure To Book Train Tickets Online
You can book train tickets online using the website or mobile application of IRCTC or its premium partners like Railofy. To access the website for booking the IRCTC train ticket online, you will have first to register and create login credentials. It is a one-time process. After that, you can log in using the login credentials you created.
The following are the steps for reservation of tickets at the convenience of your home. The steps are similar to those for online train ticket booking using the IRCTC or Railofy mobile app or website.
- Access the website or download the mobile app through the Google Store or App Store.
- Navigate to the ‘Book Train Ticket’ option.
- Enter details like source, destination, travel date, and travel class
- The list of trains with seat availability and fare will be displayed on the screen
- Choose the train from the list provided. The Smart Recommendation Feature available on the Railofy app provides you with the best options with the highest probability of confirmation.
- Further details include the number of travelers and the details of the travelers, such as name, age, and date of birth. Mention if the passenger is a child, adult, or senior citizen.
- Give the berth preference as well.
- You can also opt for the Travel Guarantee feature if you need protection against confirmation. With this feature, you will get three times cash back if your ticket is on the waitlist, even on the day of travel.
- Next, proceed for payment. You can choose from the multiple secure payment options available.
- Once the payment is completed, a PNR number will be issued. You can check the PNR status with the reference number if your ticket is on the waitlist.
- If the ticket is confirmed, an e-ticket will be issued, which you can download and show to the railway authorities on board the train.
- When you board the train, you should have proof of ID like PAN, Aadhar Card, Driving Licence, etc.
FAQs
Is a printout of the ticket needed for the train journey?
No. You need not carry a physical copy of the train ticket. You can show the e-ticket to the railway authorities on your mobile device.
How many train tickets can be booked online?
There is a restriction on the number of tickets booked online in a single transaction. For tickets in the general quota, you can book five tickets in a single transaction, and for the Tatkal quota, four tickets per transaction.
Is the confirmation guaranteed if your ticket is on the waitlist while booking online?
If you choose the Travel Guarantee Feature before proceeding with payment, you will receive a cashback three times for the ticket if the ticket is not confirmed on the travel date.
