Booking a train ticket has become a lot less cumbersome since train services were started in Goa. Agents offer services to book tickets and it's also just as simple to book your own ticket on the internet. Those who are not internet savvy or can't find an agent easily, going to a railway station and booking a ticket is the best way. Today, we will take a look at some of the ways you can reserve a seat for yourself on a train and what you would require to do.
What you need to know:
Reservation of train seats opens 90 days prior to the date of travel. You can book your ticket three months in advance, excluding the date of your journey.
Once you book your ticket, the status of your reservation will be indicated on your ticket.
Voter identity card, passport, PAN card, driving licence, photo ID card issued by Central/state government, student identity card with photograph issued by recognized school/college for their students, nationalized bank passbook with photograph, credit cards issued by banks with laminated photograph. For non-Indians, their passport will constitute sole authorized ID.
One compartment of the lowest class is reserved for ladies in every passenger train. Some berths/seats in sleeper class and second class seats are also earmarked for ladies at the train originating station. Male passengers found occupying or attempting to occupy such compartments are liable to be prosecuted apart from being removed from the compartment.
Children below 12 years need pay only 50% fare.
You can check the status of your booking, ie your seat number, at any time by sending an SMS with your 10-digit PNR number to 139.
Types of classes:
Indian Railways has seven types of seating available. When booking your ticket, you have to mention what type of seating you require. The prices of each vary according to your choice.
AC First Class (1A): This is the most expensive ticket you can buy on a passenger train. In this class, you are seated in two or four-berthed private airconditioned compartments.
AC 2 Tier (2A): Passengers are seated in airconditioned carriages split into two or four-berthed compartments. The compartments are separated by curtains.
AC 3 Tier (3A): Similar to 2A but in this class, passengers are seated in airconditioned three-tiered compartments.
First Class (FC): Passengers are seated in two- or four-berthed private, non-airconditioned compartments.
AC Chair Car (CC): This class is available on the Jan Shatabdi in Goa. It is an airconditioned seater train with reclining seats.
Sleeper (SL): This class is similar to AC 3 Tier, but it has no airconditioning.
Second Seating (2S): This has non-airconditioned seating on bench-styled seats.
Types of reservation status and their meanings:
Once you make a booking, these words indicate the status of your reservation:
Confirmed: If your reservation is "confirmed", you are given a seat number which is mentioned on your ticket. You can board the train with this.
RAC: This acronym is "Reservation against cancellation". It means that you have a booking but a seat will be allotted to you only after the final chart is prepared. If you get an RAC seat, a berth is split into two seats (the side lower berth). There is always a chance that you will get your own seat once you board the train. You can check with the TTE if he can allot you your own seat.
Waitlist (WL): In this case, your ticket will only be confirmed in case other passengers cancel their bookings. You can't board the train on a WL ticket. If you do, you may be fined or detrained.
Difference between i-tickets and e-tickets
I-tickets:
I-tickets can be booked only up to two days before the departure date on the IRCTC web site.
I-tickets are delivered to the address registered by the passenger online. To get the tickets delivered at your desired address, the booking should be done two-three clear calendar days in advance of the date of travel. To collect your ticket from the courier delivery person, you will be required to produce proof of identity in original along with the transaction ID and PNR number of your ticket for verification.
If you are authorizing someone else to collect your ticket, that person should have in addition to the above, an authority letter, which should contain the PNR number from you for effecting delivery as well as proof of his/her identity.
I-tickets cannot be cancelled online. They must be taken to the station counters for cancellation.
I-tickets can be issued even if the status for the train moves to the waiting list status.
E-tickets:
E-tickets can be booked online up to four hours before the departure of a train.
They must be printed and presented by the passenger along with identity documents in the name of the person in whose name the booking was done.
SIMPLE WAYS:
- open a account in www.irctc.co.in
- click plan my travel in left side corner
- select from and to(it should be a code i.e shortform for ex:chennai central-mas)
- select general
- search select the train and type of classes
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