Indian Railways Now Allows Vande Bharat Ticket Booking Up To 15 Minutes Before Departure
Indian Railways Now Allows Vande Bharat Ticket Booking Up To 15 Minutes Before Departure
Passengers can now book vacant seats in Vande Bharat Express and other reserved trains up to 15 minutes before departure, subject to availability, even after the reservation chart is prepared.
By Vidhi Lalla
Pune: Indian Railways has introduced a new facility that allows passengers to book vacant seats on Vande Bharat Express and other reserved trains up to 15 minutes before the scheduled departure of the train. The move is aimed at helping passengers with urgent travel needs while improving the utilisation of seats that remain vacant after reservation charts are prepared.
Earlier, ticket bookings for reserved trains generally closed once the reservation chart was finalised, leaving any unoccupied seats unused. Under the revised system, passengers can now reserve these vacant seats even after chart preparation, provided they are still available until 15 minutes before the train departs.
The facility is available for all reserved trains, including Vande Bharat Express services, where seats remain vacant after the reservation chart has been generated. However, bookings will depend entirely on real-time seat availability for each train.
Passengers can make last-minute bookings through the IRCTC website, the IRCTC Rail Connect mobile application, or authorised Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters. The booking option will appear only if seats are genuinely available after the chart has been prepared.
The new system is expected to benefit passengers who need to travel at short notice or those who were unable to secure a confirmed ticket during the normal reservation period. By allowing vacant seats to remain available until shortly before departure, Indian Railways hopes to improve seat occupancy while offering greater convenience to travellers.
Railways has advised passengers to check seat availability before leaving for the station, reach the station well ahead of departure, carry a valid identity proof during the journey, and make bookings only through official channels such as the IRCTC website, Rail Connect app or authorised PRS counters.
The initiative is part of Indian Railways’ efforts to make better use of available seats while providing more flexibility for passengers requiring last-minute travel.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the new last-minute booking facility introduced by Indian Railways?
Passengers can now book vacant seats on Vande Bharat Express and other reserved trains up to 15 minutes before the train’s scheduled departure, subject to seat availability.
2. Can tickets be booked after the reservation chart is prepared?
Yes. Under the revised rule, vacant seats remaining after chart preparation can still be booked until 15 minutes before departure.
3. Where can passengers make these bookings?
Tickets can be booked through the IRCTC website, the IRCTC Rail Connect mobile app, or authorised Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters.
4. Is this facility available for all passengers?
Yes, but only if seats remain vacant after the reservation chart has been prepared. Availability will vary depending on the train.
5. What should passengers keep in mind before travelling?
Passengers should check seat availability before heading to the station, arrive early, carry valid identity proof, and use only official Railway booking platforms for ticket reservations.
