In a major move to enhance passenger convenience, Indian Railways has announced a significant change in its ticketing process. The reservation chart, which was previously made available only four hours before departure, will now be accessible 24 hours in advance via the railway’s official web portal and user login interface.
This decision aims to reduce last-minute confusion and help passengers plan their journeys more effectively.
Until now, passengers had limited visibility into their booking status until the chart was released just hours before the journey. This often led to uncertainty and inconvenience, especially for those on the waiting list or needing to cancel or modify their plans at the last moment.
By extending the charting window to 24 hours prior to departure, the railways expect to bring greater clarity and flexibility to the reservation system. Travelers will have more time to adjust or cancel their bookings, thereby improving the overall experience.
The move is not only beneficial to passengers but also offers logistical advantages to the railway administration. With earlier chart preparation:
Cancelled tickets can be reallocated to waiting-list passengers.
Vacant seats can be filled more efficiently.
Overall seat utilization is expected to improve significantly.
This step is also expected to streamline backend operations and reduce wastage of potential ticket sales.
The initiative will initially be launched as a pilot project in the Bikaner division of Western Railway. Based on the outcomes and feedback from the pilot phase, Indian Railways plans to expand the service nationwide in the near future.
This proactive measure marks another step in Indian Railways’ efforts to modernize services and provide a smoother, more transparent experience for its millions of daily commuters.