[TheTeacher]

Originally Posted by Oxy

Yesterday I got a rude shock.

You probably used Quickbook. This happens all the time with Quickbook.

Instead, use the "Plan My Travel" option that shows up at the upper left as soon as you log in. As you go through the process, before making payment, there is an option not to book if you don't get the berths you want, or not to book if all passengers cannot be in the same coach, etc. This is the only control you have on berth assignments when booking online.

The only other way to get what you want is to go to a booking counter. Unfortunate, but that's the way it is.

[thoma]

The new look booking pages are using front end technologies that load part of the page than a full page request. JSF/Ajax? It could be a bit confusing for old users but definitely faster.

[drmohitg]

Is the ticketing system on IRCTC rigged someway by agents or what? I was trying to book a ticket from Vadodara to Delhi for 20th february, 2014. The booking for that day opened from today i.e. exactly 60 days to the day of travel. And already the tickets in AC 3 tier are in waiting list. I have noticed this a lot. And I am unable to believe that so many people have planned there trips well in advance to have exhausted the whole quota on the train in just a few hours from start of the booking procedure.

[ghodlur]

Experts,

Whats the general time taken by IRCTC to refund the cancelled ticket to the CC account used for booking? In my case its been more than 72 hrs since the cancellation.

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

Experts,

Whats the general time taken by IRCTC to refund the cancelled ticket to the CC account used for booking? In my case its been more than 72 hrs since the cancellation.

It's usually 3 days; you can see the status of the refund in one of the menu items - "cancel your tickets" I think. if it's getting delayed, please call up the customer care with the transaction id and they will help to speed up the process and ask you to send a mail to them.

[.sushilkumar]

Just Booked a Tatkal ticket . Started at 9:50 AM, Unable to login till 10:25 AM . Once Logged in, ticket booked by 10:35 AM .

seat No 0001 / LB

Another shock i received few days back was when whole 1800 rs were deducted on a booked confirmed Tatkal ticket as i got a Air ticket from my employer at last minute . Another way of making easy money IMO .

[condor]

Originally Posted by .sushilkumar

Another shock i received few days back was when whole 1800 rs were deducted on a booked confirmed Tatkal ticket .. . Another way of making easy money IMO .

Tatkal tickets have 0 refund on cancellation. May feel high, but some measures are needed to discourage a casual approach by people who dont plan in advance.

[.sushilkumar]

Originally Posted by condor

Tatkal tickets have 0 refund on cancellation. May feel high, but some measures are needed to discourage a casual approach by people who dont plan in advance.

i suspect if each on of us can plan our travel's to the last minute . Instead of putting a control on touts and agents, they chooses the easy way out .

Moreover Since cancellation is bringing in additional revenue to the railways, it make more sense to put the whole burden on common travel rather than cleaning Own house in the name of "fair Play" .

[drmohitg]

Hi I wanted to know that I have the SMS of a booking from IRCTC for a ticket I did for a friend. But by mistake entered my phone number and got SMS. I have forwarded the sms to him. Will this forwarded sms be accepted or does it need to be only by irctc?

[DCEite]

Anyone knows thats the concession for senior citizans.

[zaveed]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Hi I wanted to know that I have the SMS of a booking from IRCTC for a ticket I did for a friend. But by mistake entered my phone number and got SMS. I have forwarded the sms to him. Will this forwarded sms be accepted or does it need to be only by irctc?

So far with my experience , the TTE's would not bother from whom the message is , all they care about is the PNR number, name of the passenger, If the ticket was booked on your friends name ad he carries a valid ID proof, IMHO there should not be any issue.

Thanks

[zaveed]

Originally Posted by DCEite

Anyone knows thats the concession for senior citizans.

Senior Citizens
16 Men - 60 years and above

Women - 58 years and above

- traveling for any purpose. -- 40% in all classes

-- 50% in all classes

-- Also in Rajdhani/ Shatabdi/ Duronto trains

For more details and other categories check the link.

Source : http://www.indianrail.gov.in/conc_Rules.html

Thanks

[green_wheel]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Hi I wanted to know that I have the SMS of a booking from IRCTC for a ticket I did for a friend. But by mistake entered my phone number and got SMS. I have forwarded the sms to him. Will this forwarded sms be accepted or does it need to be only by irctc?

Ask your friend to rename you in the Contacts as "LM-IRCTCi". Problem solved.
Why not take a printout instead?

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Will this forwarded sms be accepted or does it need to be only by irctc?

I travel twice by rail every week and see that 99% of TTEs don't even ask for SMS/printout, since lack of it means you have to pay only a measly fine of Rs50. What is crucial is to have the proper ID with you which is what the TTE is concerned about since not having it makes you akin to a ticketless traveller and the fines can be heavy (providing the TTE scope for bargaining ).

Originally Posted by condor

Tatkal tickets have 0 refund on cancellation. May feel high, but some measures are needed to discourage a casual approach by people who dont plan in advance.

Inspite of being someone who plans travel way in advance, I think the logic is flawed for multiple reasons :
1) If planning in advance was key, then Railways should not even provide a Tatkal option (which is essentially a last-minute fallback option).
2) People could have to cancel tatkal for reasons other than bad planning (like getting an air-ticket for example as someone posted). Or because the demand is so high that we have to try multiple options to ensure we secure atleast one way of travel - and then have to cancel the others.
3) Anyway, since Railways is a monopoly (on rails), not only do people have no other option, but there is always more demand than supply and the cancelled tickets anyway get filled from WL. So it is not like Railways is losing money due to unfilled seats.

I believe that if you are penalising people for cancelling late in the day, you need to reward those that plan upfront and book way ahead.

Their new cancellation policy (non-Tatkal) is crap and fully loaded in their favour.

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Hi I wanted to know that I have the SMS of a booking from IRCTC for a ticket I did for a friend. But by mistake entered my phone number and got SMS. I have forwarded the sms to him. Will this forwarded sms be accepted or does it need to be only by irctc?

Absolutely NO issues with this. They just have a casual look to see the berth details. He may also carry a print out.

Originally Posted by .sushilkumar

i suspect if each on of us can plan our travel's to the last minute . Instead of putting a control on touts and agents, they chooses the easy way out .

Moreover Since cancellation is bringing in additional revenue to the railways, it make more sense to put the whole burden on common travel rather than cleaning Own house in the name of "fair Play" .

I think they have done their part by asking the passengers to carry ORIGINAL document and verifying it to prevent foul play. How do you think that Railway can put a hold on agents while the booking can be done thru internet - genuine question; I can NOT seem to find a way.