Indian Railways's new train ticket reservation rules are now effective
What's the story
Indian Railways has introduced a new policy, effective November 1, 2024, reducing the advance reservation period (ARP) from 120 days to 60. The move aims to reduce ticket cancelations and prevent ticket touting. The new policy also promotes more spontaneous travel and efficient booking processes. However, it's worth noting that bookings made before October 31, under the previous ARP of 120 days, will remain valid.
Booking efficiency
New policy aims to streamline booking process
The new 60-day ARP doesn't include the day of travel. This policy is likely to address issues like train cancelations which often happen when tickets are booked too far in advance. It also aims to make the booking system more efficient by allowing better planning and more spontaneous travel. Plus, it could help curb ticket selling practices that exploited the longer booking window.
Unaltered regulations
Existing booking rules for select trains remain unchanged
Despite the new policy, existing booking rules for certain express trains like Taj Express and Gomti Express, will remain unchanged. The special provision allowing foreign tourists to book tickets up to 365 days in advance will also continue. Passengers who have booked tickets beyond the new 60-day limit can still cancel their tickets following the usual cancelation procedures.
Demand reflection
New policy reflects true passenger demand
The Ministry of Railways has said that the new policy is in response to actual passenger demand. Earlier, nearly 21% of reservations made for 61 to 120 days in advance were canceled and 5% of passengers didn't show up for their trips. The revised policy seeks to tackle this issue and prevent impersonation and fraud due to passengers not canceling their tickets.
ARP evolution
Indian Railways's history of updating the ARP
Notably, since 1981, the Advance Reservation Period has been revised 12 times. The booking window was earlier fixed at 30 days from September 1995 to February 1998, and was increased to 120 days in April 2015 for longer advance bookings. This history highlights Indian Railways's continuous efforts to streamline its ticket reservation system for the convenience and efficiency of passengers.