IRCTC: Comparing 'Tatkal' and 'Premium Tatkal' ticket bookings
For facilitating last-minute passenger reservations, IRCTC offers online Tatkal ticket booking service. Such bookings typically open at 10 AM for AC classes, and 11 AM for non-AC classes, one day in advance of the actual date of journey. There are two options for booking such tickets, viz. 'Tatkal' bookings and 'Premium Tatkal' bookings. Read on to know the difference between the two, and more.
Ticket prices for 'Tatkal' and 'Premium Tatkal' bookings
Tatkal ticket charges are fixed as a set percentage of the fare. The rate is 10% of the basic fare for Second class, and 30% of the base fare for all other classes. On the other hand, 'Premium Tatkal' tickets come with dynamic fare pricing for all travel classes. Ticket prices vary according to booking rates and seat availability. Generally speaking, booking Premium Tatkal ticket is costlier than Tatkal.
Tatkal booking rules about RAC/Waitlisted tickets and agent-bookings
1) RAC (Reserved against cancelation) and waitlisted ticket bookings are allowed under the Tatkal quota, but not under the Premium Tatkal quota. 2) That apart, agents are not allowed to book tickets under the Premium Tatkal quota. For Tatkal bookings, the web services agents of IRCTC are allowed to book one Tatkal ticket per train per day.
