Indian railways has implemented new policies regarding advance ticket booking which have come into effect from November 1, 2024. According to the new rule, the ARP or Advance Reservation Period of booking a train ticket has been reduced from 120 days to 60 days. This rule will not affect any tickets booked before October 31, 2024.
This change was made considering the inconvenience passengers face when trains are canceled. This new policy will provide more flexibility to passengers and result in a more efficient booking system, tackling the activity of ticket reselling that took advantage of the extended reservation window. Since 1981, the Advance Reservation Period has been modified 12 times.
This reduction in the pre-booking time frame from 120 days to 60 days came into effect to provide travelers with flexibility in their travel schedules and minimize cancellations. Passengers with reservations made over the extended 60-day period can still cancel their tickets if necessary. The cancellations will take place in accordance with the usual protocols by the railway authorities.
Under the new guidelines, some things still remain unmodified. Booking restrictions for daytime Express services like “Gomti Express” and “Taj Express” remain unchanged, and the exclusive 365-day advance booking window for foreign tourists remains unaltered.
Indian Railways is also adapting to newer technologies like AI to make their ticket reservation systems more user-friendly and convenient. It utilizes AI to optimize seat allocation on trains by generating reservation charts and forecasting vacant seats. This allows waitlisted travelers to experience a smart seat allocation process.