Planning Last Minute Travel? Here’s How You Can Book Vande Bharat Train Ticket Just 15 Minutes Before Departure

Need to travel on short notice but worried that the reservation chart has already been made? Good news for train passengers. Indian Railways has now provided the facility to the passengers for booking unreserved seats in reserved trains, including Vande Bharat Express, even after the reservation chart is out. If there are any empty seats, you can book them 15 minutes before the train departure. This move is meant to reduce the number of empty seats and also offer a second chance to travellers with urgent plans to get a confirmed ticket. So if you are away for work, a family emergency, a medical appointment or a trip you didn’t plan for, this new rule could make train travel a lot easier at the last minute.

Here’s everything you need to know about the new booking facility, who can use it, how it works, and how it differs from Tatkal booking.

What is Indian Railways’ new 15-minute booking rule before departure

Earlier, once the reservation chart was prepared, passengers had almost no chance of getting a confirmed reserved ticket. If cancellations or other reasons left a few seats free, passengers normally could not book them.

That has now changed.

Indian Railways will continue to make the vacant reserved seats available for booking until 15 minutes before the train leaves the station, in case of vacant reserved seats after the reservation chart is made under the revised system.

The facility is limited to seats that have been cleared after chart preparation. No booking is available under this provision if all seats are taken.

The aim is simple: to cut down on empty seats and to enable more passengers to grab confirmed tickets at the last minute.

Which trains are covered under this facility?

The rule does not apply to only one category of trains. It will be applicable for reserved trains of Indian Railways, including Vande Bharat Express, other reserved mail and express trains and eligible reserved train services where seats are lying vacant after chart preparation.

However, this is contingent on the availability of confirmed seats after the reservation chart is released.

Who will benefit the most from this new rule?

The most significant beneficiaries are passengers who can’t plan their trips far in advance.

The facility will be of most use to passengers who make their travel arrangements at the last minute. This is valuable for commuters who have to make emergency trips for work, for business travellers who have urgent meetings, or for families who are faced with a medical emergency or some other exigency.

The system can also assist students who may have to travel on short notice and other passengers who could not obtain a confirmed ticket during the normal reservation process. If there are any vacant seats after the preparation of the reservation chart, passengers get one more opportunity to get their booking confirmed before the train leaves.

Once the reservation chart is prepared, passengers will be able to know about the availability of seats before the train leaves instead of assuming that booking is closed.

How to purchase a ticket only 15 minutes before the Vande Bharat departs?

Booking will also be done on the same official platforms used today for train reservations so the process will be as simple as it is today. Available seats may be booked by the IRCTC website, the IRCTC Rail Connect mobile app, and authorised passenger reservation system (PRS) counters.

If seats become available after the charting process, they will still be displayed on these official booking portals until 15 minutes before departure.

Passengers are advised not to book via unauthorised websites or agents.

Can anyone book these last-minute seats?

Yes (subject to seat availability). The facility is available to passengers who wish to book a new reservation after the reservation chart has been prepared.

But there are two important conditions:

• Vacant seats must be available after chart preparation.
• Booking closes 15 minutes prior to the scheduled departure of the train.

After this window closes, no more bookings will be allowed.

How is it different from Tatkal booking?

Many passengers confuse this facility with Tatkal booking, but these are entirely different.

Simply put, Tatkal is a special booking quota for last-minute planners, while the new facility helps Indian Railways to fill the seats that go vacant even after preparation of the reservation chart.

Why has Indian Railways started this rule?

According to Indian Railways, the decision has two major objectives.

Firstly, it helps to improve seat utilisation. Even after the entire reservation process is completed, many trains still have some confirmed seats that remain unoccupied. Those seats were empty before.

Second, it is another opportunity for passengers to get confirmed tickets without leaving seats empty.

The change benefits both the railways and the traveller by making better use of the capacity that is available.

Things that passengers need to remember before using this facility

The facility offers more flexibility, but travellers should still plan ahead before going to the railway station. Before you go to the railway station, you must make sure that:

• Do check availability of seats on the IRCTC website or Rail Connect app.
• You can book up to 15 minutes before the departure time.
• Be at the station on time so you can board comfortably.
• All passengers must carry identity proof while travelling.
• Book tickets only through official IRCTC portals and authorised PRS counters.

Seats are subject to last-minute availability so travellers should not assume they will get tickets.

Will this get you a confirmed ticket?

Yes, particularly if you are travelling unexpectedly.

The new system does not create new seats, but it does ensure that reserved seats that are vacant do not go to waste after chart preparation. That means passengers who had no option to book earlier after the chart was released now have another opportunity to get a confirmed seat if there are vacancies.

This change gives an extra layer of flexibility to regular travellers, especially those using the Vande Bharat Express and other reserved trains, which was not there before.

What does this mean for train passengers?

The new 15-minute booking facility is a sensible change to make train travel more passenger-friendly. Now, the reserved seats of Indian Railways will not be allowed to remain vacant after the preparation of the reservation chart and will keep the seats available for booking till 15 minutes before the departure.

The rule can be of great help to travellers who have sudden work commitments, medical emergencies or unplanned family trips to get a confirmed ticket without depending only on Tatkal bookings. But keep an eye on the official IRCTC platforms, as bookings will open only if there are vacant seats.

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