Train Ticket Booking

Earlier, booking train tickets required you to physically visit ticket reservation centers and stand in long queues for hours on end. However, thanks to recent technological advancements, you can book train tickets online from the comfort of your own home. redRail by redBus is an online railway ticket booking platform that allows you to book tickets for your preferred trains in just a few minutes.

With the super-convenient and user-friendly interface of redRail, all you need to do is enter a few details such as your origin station, destination station, and the date of travel. The platform will then instantly display the list of available trains traveling through your route on your preferred travel date. Since redRail is an IRCTC-authorized ticket booking platform, you can book tickets with confidence without worrying about authenticity. So, whether you are planning a business trip or going on vacation, opt for redRail by redBus and make your train ticket booking process smooth and hassle-free

You may use the IRCTC ticket booking site to purchase your train tickets. But the procedure can be difficult due to technical issues with the website. However, this is not something you need to worry about when choosing trains online from redRail. Take a look at the reasons why you should opt for redRail.

• Authorized Partner of IRCTC
  The reason for choosing redRail for IRCTC train ticket booking is that it is the authorized partner of IRCTC, so all information available is authentic. You can rely on redRail to find the best trains and book tickets without any problem.
• Cancellation with Refund
  If you opt for an Indian railway booking ticket through redRail, you can easily cancel the ticket if necessary. The cancellation policy for the ticket will be provided to you, and you will get a refund for most bookings.
• Round-the-Clock Customer Assistance
  The redRail support staff is available at all times to help you with bookings. You can contact customer service if you face any issues with train ticket bookings online. The support staff will provide immediate assistance.

redRail by redBus makes IRCTC train booking quick and easy. With just your IRCTC user ID and password, you can start booking train tickets for your preferred route in just a few minutes. What’s more, with first time booking offers, redRail may levy zero service fees or additional payment gateway charges at the time of train bookings.

Furthermore, you get access to exciting discount offers and deals from time to time designed to help you save more. If you run into any issues during your train ticket booking process, you can always get in touch with redRail’s dedicated customer support team instantly. That’s not all. If you’ve paid for your train tickets via UPI, you get to enjoy instant refunds on ticket cancellations. redRail by redBus also offers a unique ‘Free Cancellation’ feature for a nominal additional fee that allows you to bypass cancellation charges.

Along with train ticket booking, you may also check PNR easily and quickly on redRail's website or app. You can check your PNR status by following these steps:

Step 1 - From the redBus home page, navigate to the redRail homepage by clicking on the redRail icon.

Step 2 - Select the PNR Status option.

Step 3 - Enter your 10-digit PNR number and press the "Check Status" button.

Step 4 - The most recent PNR status will be provided to you.

Examine the available information to determine if your ticket is still on the waitlist or confirmed and if there have been any adjustments to the train itinerary, reservation details, or anything else.

You can check the PNR Number in the days going up to the departure date. The PNR status will display all reservation-related information.

The price of a train ticket is dependent on a multitude of different factors such as the type of train, the travel class, the distance between the point of origin and destination, and the age of the passenger among others.

For instance, the price of non-AC classes like Sleeper Class (SL), Second Sitting (2S), and Chair Car (CC) tend to be far lower than those of the AC classes such as AC 3-Tier, AC 2-Tier, and AC First Class. That’s not all. The ticket prices of special trains like the Vande Bharat Express and the Vistadome also tend to be much higher than regular passenger trains.

The IRCTC train ticket price includes the base fare, reservation charge, superfast charge, catering charges (if any), and GST. Here’s a table outlining the railway ticket booking concessions available for different categories of passengers.

Note: The concessions are applicable only on the base fare. No concessions are available on any of the other charges levied by IRCTC.

If you’ve made an online train ticket booking via the IRCTC website or the redRail app, you can easily cancel your reservation within a few minutes. However, you should keep in mind that you can cancel your e-ticket only up until the time of chart preparation. Once the chart is prepared, you cannot cancel your e-ticket. Instead, you will have to file a Ticket Deposit Receipt (TDR) online to receive a refund, if eligible. Charts are prepared on the previous night for trains starting up till noon.

If you’re traveling with your family or as a group, you can cancel the train booking entirely or choose to only cancel the tickets of a certain set of passengers individually. Once you cancel a train ticket, you will receive a refund, only if eligible, after the deduction of cancellation charges. These charges will vary depending on factors such as the travel class and the time of initiation of the cancellation process.

Canceling booked train tickets is simple and can be done within a few minutes. If you wish to cancel a train ticket that you booked via the redRail platform, here’s what you need to do.

• Step 1: Log into the redRail smartphone application using your user credentials.
• Step 2: Tap on the ‘My Bookings’ tab at the bottom of the app.
• Step 3: Your booked tickets will be displayed in this section.
• Step 4: Tap the booking that you wish to cancel and proceed to complete the cancellation process.
• Step 5: If you’re traveling with a group, you have the option to cancel the tickets of all of the passengers or only a select few.
• Step 6: Once you’ve canceled the ticket, it will show up under the ‘Canceled’ tab.

The amount that you paid for booking the train ticket will be refunded to the original payment method after deducting the respective cancellation charges. If you had paid for your ticket via UPI on redRail, you may even be eligible for instant refunds on ticket cancellations.

• Step 1: Log into the IRCTC website using your user credentials.
• Step 2: Place your cursor on the ‘My Account’ tab of the webpage.
• Step 3: Click on the ‘Booked Ticket History’ option under ‘My Transactions’.
• Step 4: Click on the railway ticket booking that you wish to cancel and click on the ‘Cancel Ticket’ option.
• Step 5: If you’re traveling with other passengers, you have the option to cancel the tickets of all of the passengers or only a select few.
• Step 6: Once the cancellation process is complete, the ticket booking status will change from ‘Booked’ to ‘Canceled’.

The ticket fare will be refunded to your original payment method after deducting the respective cancellation charges. With IRCTC, it may take a few days to process the cancellation request and for the amount to get credited to your account.

The IRCTC train ticket cancellation charges vary with the time of cancellation. For example, if you can initiate the process any time 48 hrs before the scheduled departure time, the cancellation charges will be INR 60-240, depending upon the class.

The cancellation fee will be 12% for the tickets that are cancelled anywhere between 48-12 hrs of scheduled departure. The process initiated between 12 to 4 hrs of the scheduled time will have 50% cancellation charges.
If there is a cancellation of the train due to any reason, the passengers can initiate the cancellation process within three days of the scheduled time and get a full refund.

There are several types of train ticket bookings in India, including:

• General Quota: This is the most common type of booking and is open to all passengers. Tickets can be booked up to 120 days in advance.
• Tatkal Quota: This booking is for passengers who need to travel at short notice. Tickets can be booked one day in advance of the journey.
• Premium Tatkal Quota: This booking is similar to Tatkal Quota but is more expensive and is intended for passengers who need to travel at very short notice.
• Ladies Quota: This booking is reserved for female passengers and can be booked up to 120 days in advance.
• Lower Berth Quota: This booking is for senior citizens, differently-abled passengers, and pregnant women.
• Foreign Tourist Quota: This booking is for foreign tourists visiting India.
• Duty Pass Quota: This booking is for government officials and employees of public sector undertakings travelling on official duty.
• Parliament House Quota: This booking is for Members of Parliament and other dignitaries.
• Defence Quota: This booking is for defence personnel and their dependents.

It is important to note that availability and eligibility for these different types of bookings may vary depending on the train and route.

As a passenger, you need to adhere to all the rules and regulations laid out by the Indian Railways. You may be penalized if you’re found to be contravening any of the laid-out rules. Let’s take a look at some of the most important Indian Railways regulations that you need to be aware of.

The Indian Railways have set in place certain luggage rules that every passenger is required to follow. For instance, you cannot carry certain items and articles as part of your luggage. This includes explosive, offensive, and inflammable articles, empty gas cylinders, dead poultry, and acids and other corrosive substances.

The Railways have also set certain limits on the weight of luggage that you can carry with you on a train for free. These free limits vary depending on your travel class. If you have excess luggage, you may be permitted to carry them with you provided you pay the requisite luggage fee. Here’s a table outlining the various luggage allowances according to the travel class.

One of the least-known facts about Indian Railways is that you can carry your pets along with you on a train. However, there are certain rules that you will need to follow. Firstly, pets are to be secured in a pet box. Secondly, you can carry the pet box only if you’re traveling by AC First Class or First Class and if the entire coupe is booked exclusively by you. And finally, you will have to pay a luggage rate depending on the weight of the pet box.

However, if you’re traveling by any of the other classes such as AC 2-Tier, AC 3-Tier, AC Chair Car, Sleeper Class, or Second Class, you cannot travel with your pet. Instead, you can choose to book the pet box in Second Class Luggage and Brake Van (SLR), if available, by paying the requisite fees for the same.

If you miss boarding your train from the boarding point mentioned on your ticket, you can choose to board at either of the next two stations or within the first hour of departure. According to the rules laid out for boarding trains, the TTE cannot allot your reserved seat to any other individual before the train crosses two stations from your designated boarding point.

Indian Railways has set a few guidelines in place to ensure the safety of passengers. Here’s a quick look at what they are.

• Do not travel on the footboard or the roof of the train or lean out of a compartment.
• Do not get into or exit a train while it is still in motion.
• Only use the emergency exit during emergencies.
• Keep the door of the compartment closed at night.
• Do not accept any food or beverage from individuals you’re not familiar with.
• Do not open or handle any unclaimed luggage.
• Report suspicious activities or movements to the Railway Protection Force (RPF) immediately.

There are clear guidelines prohibiting certain items from being carried as luggage. Let’s take a glimpse at some of these items.

• Empty gas cylinders
• Dead poultry or game
• Acids
• Explosive, dangerous, inflammable articles
• Offensive articles
• Corrosive substances

In addition to this, there are a few activities that have been explicitly prohibited from being carried out on a train.

• Carrying or lighting inflammable substances like fireworks within the compartment
• Lighting stoves or sigris in compartments.
• Smoking, drinking alcohol or using intoxicating substances
• Any activity against public acceptance

The Indian Railways has taken several steps to make train travel easier for senior citizens and individuals with disabilities (Divyangjan). Let’s take a look at a few of them.

• Availability of wheelchairs and battery-operated vehicles for smooth and hassle-free to and from trains.
• SLRD (Divyangjan) coaches are equipped with specially modified toilets and berths.
• TTEs have been empowered to allot lower berths to senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

Indian Railways provides a few concessions for individuals traveling with children. For instance, if your child is less than 5 years old, you don’t have to obtain a ticket for them. And if your child is between 5 and 12 years of age, you need to only pay 50% of the base fare. Furthermore, to make train travel with children safer, the Railways has introduced ‘baby berths’ as a pilot project in the Lucknow Mail train.

You can make reservations for different types of trains through the redRail by redBus online railway ticket booking platform. Here’s a closer look at some of the top trains in India.

1. Passenger Trains Trains that connect multiple cities and towns and make scheduled stops at most of the stations along a particular route are termed passenger trains in India. Passenger trains are usually classified into two - slow passenger trains and fast passenger trains.
2. Express Trains Trains that only make a few scheduled stops along a particular route are termed express trains. Such types of trains generally stop at only the most important stations. Express trains tend to be much faster than passenger trains due to the lower number of stoppages and higher average speeds.
3. Superfast Trains Express trains that make even fewer scheduled stops along a railway route are termed superfast trains. These trains are much faster compared to both passenger and express trains and attract a ‘Superfast Charge’, which is added to the cost of the ticket.

Tatkal tickets are under the tatkal scheme of the railways, which is also available for online railway booking. Here, you can book the tickets within a short period of one day before departure. However, these tickets’ prices are higher than the standard ones. The price hike can be 10-30% from the base price and will differ for each class.

Tatkal tickets are available just one day before departure, while standard tickets can be booked anytime. Tatkal online train booking can be tricky. Since only very few tickets are allotted for tatkal booking, it all depends on your luck. You will only be able to give a preferred berth, but there is no guarantee that you will get the same. Tatkal tickets can be booked for up to 4 passengers in a single ticket or PNR.

Confirmed tatkal tickets are non-cancellable. If you get a ticket on the waiting list, you can cancel it, but standard cancellation charges are applicable. There will not be a partial cancellation for the tatkal tickets.

IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) is a subsidiary of the Indian Railways, responsible for managing online ticket booking, catering services, and tourism activities related to the Indian Railways. IRCTC was established in 1999 to improve the passenger experience and provide modern and efficient services to Indian railway users.

IRCTC is the official website of the Indian Railways for online ticket booking, which allows users to book train tickets, check seat availability, and access various other travel-related services. In addition, the website has several features, such as e-catering, tourist trains, and travel insurance, among others.

Besides ticket booking, IRCTC manages other services such as catering, tourism, and online shopping. It operates a chain of food plazas and restaurants across various railway stations in India, providing quality food and beverages to railway passengers. 

IRCTC has played a significant role in modernizing the Indian Railways and improving the passenger experience, by providing a range of services and facilities to millions of Indian railway users.

IRCTC has recently announced its partnership with redBus to facilitate train ticket booking via the redRail.

If you’re planning to travel by train, there are a few tips that you can follow to ensure that your journey is smooth, comfortable, and hassle-free. Here’s a quick overview of 5 of the most essential tips that you should follow.

1. Always Plan Your Trip in Advance Due to the sheer volume of passengers relying on Indian railways for traveling between cities and towns, you may find it difficult to get confirmed tickets. Therefore, it is always a good idea to plan for your trip and book train tickets in advance, unless it is an emergency. In the case of an unplanned or impromptu trip, you can use the Tatkal train ticket booking scheme of IRCTC to get reserved tickets. However, keep in mind that the Tatkal ticket booking scheme operates on a first-come, first-served basis, which means that there’s no guarantee of getting confirmed tickets.
2. Book Only From IRCTC-Authorized Platforms Using online platforms is the easiest and most convenient way to book train tickets. You can either use the IRCTC ticket booking platform or an IRCTC-authorized partner such as redRail by redBus to book your train tickets. Keep in mind that tickets booked using unauthorized platforms or applications are illegal and may even be canceled without any notice.
3. Pre-Order Food Online It may not always be practical or possible to bring your own food along with you during long-distance train travel. To address this limitation, IRCTC has introduced a special platform known as ‘Food on Track’. Through this platform, you can pre-order food from a host of different restaurants online. Once placed, your food order will be delivered right to your seat when the train makes a scheduled stop at the chosen station.
4. Check For Linen Services Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, IRCTC had suspended all bedroll and linen services for all trains temporarily. However, with the pandemic behind us, IRCTC has slowly resumed providing bedroll and linen services starting with a few select trains. If you’re traveling via any of the AC classes, it is advisable to check if the linen services are available beforehand. If the services haven’t been resumed for your particular train, you may have to carry your own blankets.
5. Secure Your Luggage It is a good idea to always secure your luggage when traveling via a train. This is especially true if you’ve been allotted the middle or upper berths. Almost all trains in India are provided with links under the seats. You can chain your luggage to these links to make sure that they remain safe and secure till the end of your journey.