Here's how you can book tatkal tickets, this Diwali Season
To meet the last-minute ticketing needs of passengers, IRCTC offers online as well as offline 'tatkal' ticketing services. Tatkal ticket bookings open one day in advance to the date of journey. Opening timings are 10am for AC coaches and 11am for non-AC. Except for first AC and executive classes, tatkal bookings are available for all classes. Here are some lesser-known rules for tatkal bookings.
About system of charging, peak/non-peak periods, and Shatabdi Express bookings
The system of charging for tatkal has been set as a fixed percentage of the journey fare. The charges are 10% of the basic fare for second class, and for all other classes, 30%. The aforementioned booking charges stay uniform, irrespective of peak/non-peak seasons. As an exception, the tatkal facility is also available for the premium executive class of Shatabdi Express (10% of seats).
About maximum number of passengers, web services agents, name-changes, TDRs
In case of tatkal ticket bookings, tickets for a maximum number of four passengers can be booked per PNR, and no name-change option is available for bookings made for tatkal tickets. Additionally, IRCTC's web services agents are allowed to book just a single tatkal ticket per train in a day, online. Further, no ticket deposit receipts (TDRs) are issued for waiting-list tickets.
About duplicate tickets, basis of issuance, and identity proof
It's important to note that only in exceptional cases are duplicate tatkal tickets issued. Tatkal tickets are issued for actual distance of travel, and not end-to-end. This allows one seat to be booked for multiple legs of the journey, depending on availability. Also, for multiple bookings with one PNR, only one of the passengers is required to produce their identity proof during the journey.
