Advance Reservation Period (ARP) for Train Ticket Booking
To help us plan our journey well in advance, Indian Railways offer you the facility of Advance Reservation. About 97% of the Advance Reservation centers are computerized, making it possible for us to book our ticket from anywhere to anywhere. Here we are giving details about ✅ the Advance Reservation Period (ARP) of various trains by Indian Railway and IRCTC.
Advance Reservation Period of Clone Trains
Indian Railway announced that increase in the maximum Advance Reservation Period of Clone trains from 10 days to 30 days.
IRCTC announced that Second class (2S) reserved ticket holders are advised to check their PNR status (“Trains” menu > “PNR Enquiry”) before journey. If 2S reserved ticket holders are receiving PNR status as “Route class deleted / Booking not allowed as given class for the route is deleted” on PNR enquiry, they may cancel such tickets to get full refund.
Updated : 09.02.2021
Advance Reservation Period of Select Special Trains increased from 10 days to 120 days
Central Railways have earlier announced 10 days as the Advance Reservation Period (ARP) for booking of tickets in select special trains. Now it is decided to increase the ARP to 120 days for the following trains with effect from 10.2.2021.
- Train No.07415 Shri Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Terminus Kolhapur – Tirupati Special
- Train No.07618 Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Mumbai – Hazur Sahib Nanded Special
- Train No.02729 Pune-Hazur Sahib Nanded Special
- Train No.02236 Lokmanya Tilak Terminus – Secunderabad Special
- Train No.07613 Panvel- Hazur Sahib Nanded Special
- Train No.02766 Amravati-Tirupati Festival Special
Bookings for all above special trains with an Advance Reservation Period of 120 days will open on 10.2.2021 at all computerized reservation centers and on website www.irctc.co.in.
✅ How many days in advance can I reserve my ticket?
You can reserve your ticket 120 days in advance, excluding the date of journey at the train originating station. At intermediate station where the train arrives the following day, reservation can be done more than 120 days in advance. In the case of some intercity day express trains, the advance reservation period is less. Special Trains are planned by Railway where ARP varies subject to maximum 120 days. Such Trains may have a higher fare than normal Trains.
✅ What is the ARP during Covid-19 situation?
✅ Is Advance Reservation Period of all trains same?
No, The maximum ARP(Advanced Reservation Period) for trains run by Indian Railways is 120 days or approximately 4 months. But there are certain trains with ARP of 30, 15 and 10 days too, so make sure you are pretty informed about them before you go on to book your ticket. For example:- FTR registration can be done maximum 6 months in advance and minimum 30 days prior to journey date, Advance Reservation Period for all Suvidha Trains and Special Trains on Special Charges to 120 days.
✅ How Can I book ticket in Advance from One place to Another?
Yes, You can book the ticket in advance, We can book our ticket for any train on the Indian Railways network, from any originating station to any destination at any of the Computerised Reservation Centres, across the country. Reserved Tickets can also be obtained by accessing the website www.irctc.co.in. Payments can be made directly through the website.
✅ How to I know the reservation status of my ticket?
The reservation status will be clearly indicated in your ticket. If your ticket is confirmed, your coach and berth numbers will be mentioned on your ticket in all classes other than First Class and AC First Class. For others, the word “Confirmed”, will be printed alongside the class of travel. If your ticket is in RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation)/Waitlisted status, the same will be mentioned on the ticket.
Note : Passengers are requested to Kindly note that while every effort will be made to ensure a comfortable, hassle-free journey, Indian Railways are not liable to compensate a passenger due to non-provision of reserved accommodation or for any losses suffered due to late running of trains and other such unintended eventualities which are not wilful or deliberately perpetrated.
✅ Can I board the train with a RAC?
You can board the train with an RAC ticket. You will be provided with sitting accommodation initially and allotted a berth (in case of passengers not turning up) in the train.
✅ Can I board the reserved coach with Waitlisted Ticket?
Waitlisted ticket passengers are not permitted to board the reserved coaches if their ticket is not confirmed at the time of preparation of chart, since no berth/seat has been reserved for their use in these coaches. Such passengers, if found in the reserved coach unauthorisedly, are detrained at the next stoppage of train, if no vacant berth is available, (due to non turn up of passengers) to accommodate them. As per Section 155 of Railway Act, if any passenger, enters a compartment wherein no berth/seat has been reserved for his/her use or unauthorisedly occupies a berth/seat reserved for the use of another passenger, refuses to leave, he/she shall be removed from the berth/seat/compartment and be punishable with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees.
✅ How can I board a train in the reserved coach if I am not able to get a waitlisted ticket?
Yes, if you don’t have any ticket, you may approach the Train Superintendent/ TTE after purchasing an unreserved ticket from the booking office as specified in the following table. The TTE will allot the accommodation, subject to availability.
Category of Train | Class of Travel | Min. Class of Ticket required for boarding the train at originating and Intermediate Stations |
|---|---|---|
| i) Rajdhani/Shatabdi | IA, FC, 2A, 3A, ACC | 1st Class Ordinary |
| ii) Jan Shatabdi | ACC 2S | 1st Class Ordinary 2nd Mail/ Express |
| iii) Mail/Express | FC, IA, 2A, 3A, CC, SL, 2S | 1st Class Ordinary 2nd Mail/Express |
| iv) Garib Rath Express | 3A, CC | 2nd Mail/Express |
| v) Double Decker | Executive Class AC Chair Car | 1st Class Ordinary AC Chair Car Ticket through UTS |
However, in case you have a second class ticket and could not get reservation in sleeper class and desire to travel in any upper class, you may approach the on-board ticket checking staff, who can upgrade your ticket accordingly subject to availability of accommodation except in Rajdhani/ Shatabdi Express trains.
✅ How do I find out the current status of my unconfirmed ticket?
You can contact the Reservation Enquiry Counters at your nearest Computerised Reservation Centre or call the interactive Voice Response System. Always quote the 10 digit PNR Number indicated on the upper left hand corner of your ticket, to find out the current status.
The current status of your ticket can also be obtained from the Indian Railways Passenger Information Website. The site also provides real-time information relating to availability of seats (and berths in a train even between a pair of stations), timetable and train fares etc. are disseminated through this number. After getting connected to “139”, the information with regard to arrival/ departure of a train at a particular station can be obtained by dealing the train no. and STD code of that station.
Facility of Enquiry by sending SMS on 139
The current status of the ticket, status of arrival/ departure of train, availability of train accommodation, fare enquiry etc can also be obtained by sending SMS to 139.
✅ Am I required to carry proof of identity during journey in Reserved Classes?
Any one of the passengers / the passenger booked on the ticket issued from Computerised Passenger Reservation System (PRS) and internet (I and e ticket), undertaking journey in reserved classes, have to carry anyone of the prescribed proof of identity (in original) during the journey and produce the same as and when required failing which all the passengers booked on that ticket will be treated as without ticket and charged accordingly. The lis of Valid Proof of identity are attached here.
 of various trains by Indian Railway and IRCTC.){kind=link}