Tatkal booking timings revised? Indian Railways issues official clarification

Indian Railways has dismissed the circulation of misinformation on social media suggesting changes to the scheduling for booking Tatkal and Premium Tatkal tickets for both AC and non-AC classes. The railway body insists there has been no official alteration to these timings and advises passengers to disregard unfounded online rumours.

Official Booking Timings

According to the official website of Indian Railways, the timings for booking Tatkal and Premium Tatkal tickets remain unaltered. Currently, Tatkal E-booking is available one day before the journey, not including the day of departure from the originating station.

For AC classes — including Second AC (2A), Third AC (3A), Chair Car (CC), Executive Class (EC), and Economy Class (3E) — the booking opens at 10:00. Non-AC classes, such as Sleeper (SL), First Class (FC), and Second Sitting (2S), have their booking window starting at 11:00.

Some posts are circulating on Social Media channels mentioning about different timings for Tatkal and Premium Tatkal tickets.

No such change in timings is currently proposed in the Tatkal or Premium Tatkal booking timings for AC or Non-AC classes.

The permitted booking… pic.twitter.com/bTsgpMVFEZ

— IRCTC (@IRCTCofficial) April 11, 2025

Social Media Clarification

Recently viral posts erroneously claimed changes in Tatkal booking times, suggesting, “Tatkal Booking facility provides Confirmed / Waitlisted tickets against Tatkal quota, in any class except 1 AC, for travel between source and remote stations with a Tatkal quota to destination.” The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) quickly dispelled these inaccuracies via social media, confirming the booking timings remain as previously set.

Established Booking Protocol

Indian Railways reassures passengers that the Tatkal booking protocols, instituted since 15 June 2015, persist unchanged. For example, if a train departs on 6 November, bookings for AC classes begin at 10:00 on 5 November, with non-AC bookings following at 11:00. No concessions are provided under Tatkal bookings, reinforcing the existing structure.

Tatkal Charges Details

Charges under the Tatkal scheme are determined as a percentage of the base fare: 10% for second class, and 30% for all other classes. There are stipulated minimum and maximum fees applicable under this system.