The days of hanging on the waiting list are over! IRCTC is giving ‘alternative’ opportunity, no extra money required

Sarshe under Bengali’s feet. When you get a holiday, your mind wanders. Some run to the mountains, some to the sea, some to the forest. Just waiting for the bag to be packed. But the joy of your trip can be ruined in no time. ‘Waiting list’ even after buying tickets a month ago? The tension starts right after the booking. The prayer for ticket confirmation goes on till the last minute of chart creation. But now you don’t have to rely on luck or fortune. Rail tickets can be easily redeemed. One such secret ace is held by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation or IRCTC. You will get rid of waiting list hassle forever without removing the extra pocket.

The real trump card of the railways is the ‘Vikalp’ (Vikalp) scheme to address these concerns of the traveller. Its real magic is hidden in the name itself. Simply put, if there are no seats available in the train of your choice, then the rail itself becomes your saviour. If the seat is vacant in any other train on the same route, this special system will automatically confirm your waiting ticket. Railways will not have to pay a penny extra for this.

The whole thing is very interesting. This system will be activated only if it is found that your ticket is stuck in the waiting list during the final train chart generation. The system will then find the list of other empty trains to the same destination. It will automatically move your seat there.

The way to get this benefit is also quite simple. At the time of booking the ticket, look just below to fill in the passenger name list and details. Go to ‘Other Preferences’ option and you will see a magic box called ‘Opt Vikalp’. Just put a tick mark on it and the work is done.

If you forget to do this at the time of booking, don’t worry! This facility can be availed even after purchasing the ticket. For that first you have to log-in to IRCTC app or website. Then go straight to ‘Booked Ticket History’. Select your waiting ticket and click on the ‘Three Dots’ on the right. From there select ‘Opt Vikalp’ option and agree to the railway rules. A list of alternative trains will immediately appear on the screen. Select the preferred trains according to your time and route and submit.

Well, then you don’t have to look like a bird at the ticket number. The days of worrying about getting tickets or not are over. Keeping this little trick in mind will make your trip as sure as it is safe.