How Many Tatkal Tickets Can Be Booked at a Time?
If you’re a frequent train traveler in India, booking a Tatkal ticket might come in handy for you. Tatkal tickets can be booked one day before the date of travel, and as the name suggests, it’s a scheme that’s introduced for emergencies. Tatkal tickets are available for all classes (except First AC) on all trains. But, is there a limit on how many Tatkal tickets can be booked at a time? In this blog post, we’ll go through that in detail.
What is Tatkal?
Introduced by the Indian Railways in 1997, Tatkal is a scheme designed to provide emergency reservations for train passengers. Tatkal tickets open one day prior to the date of travel (excluding the date of travel) and allow passengers to book their tickets in advance. Tatkal bookings are available for all classes (except First AC) on all trains. Tatkal bookings can be done online or offline in any of the reservation offices.
How Many Tatkal Tickets Can Be Booked at a Time?
The Indian Railways has set a limit on the number of Tatkal tickets that can be booked at a time. As per the guidelines, only four tickets can be booked per PNR number in a Tatkal booking. A PNR (Passenger Name Record) is the unique ten-digit number assigned to each individual booking done through the Indian Railways.The number of passengers that can be accommodated in one Tatkal ticket booking is a maximum of four. The Ministry of Railways has also specified that a user can book only two Tatkal tickets per user ID in a day from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.
Exceptions to the Rule
There are a few exceptions to the four Tatkal ticket booking rule. If you’re traveling in groups of more than four, you can book multiple Tatkal tickets in the same train for the same destination. For example, if you’re traveling with five people, you can book two Tatkal tickets in the same train and the same class for the same destination. You’ll need to book one regular ticket and one Tatkal ticket, which will be accommodated in the same berth.Another exception is for passengers who are traveling on a waitlisted ticket. If you have a waitlisted ticket, you can book a Tatkal ticket even if the four tickets limit has been reached. However, the ticket will be only confirmed if there are any available seats or berths after accommodating the passengers with valid confirmed tickets.
Conclusion
Tatkal tickets are a boon to those passengers who are in urgent need of traveling by train. However, the Indian Railways has set certain limits on the number of Tatkal tickets that can be booked at a time. As per the latest guidelines, only four Tatkal tickets can be booked per PNR number, and only two Tatkal tickets can be booked per user ID in a day from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. There are exceptions to the four-ticket limit rule, and travelers can book more than four tickets if they are traveling in a group or on a waitlisted ticket.We hope this blog post has helped you understand how many Tatkal tickets can be booked at a time. Keep in mind that Tatkal tickets are subject to availability, and it’s always best to book your tickets well in advance. Plan your travels well ahead, and make use of the Tatkal scheme only when you need it the most. Happy traveling!