Booking rail tickets from abroad- a Beginner's Guide

carlostik

Of course the system is great. By "scarce" I was meaning the fact that any checked journey already looks waitlisted, what could be too few seats online available (compared to train real capacity)or train really almost fully booked.

By the way, I will be travelling Kannur to South Goa around 22 May, and probably taking a couple of shorter distance trains in Kerala and Goa these days.

Again, many thanks for the information.

steven_ber

A train usually has 3 or 4 classes, but the higher classes have fewer berths, sometimes a train with 1A and 2A will have a 1A/2A combination carriage with only 10 X 1A berths and 20 X 2A berths (click on diagram below), or a full 2A carriage (46 berths) maybe a full 3A carriage (64 berths), sometimes 2, 3 or even 4 X 3A carriages, but often 10 - 14 Sleeper Class carriages (72 berths in each).

And just to add to the complications, not all berths will be for the sector you'll be travelling in, most are kept for end to end passengers and normally only a few allowed for passengers boarding at, or getting off at stations along the route.



I don't like your chances, waitlist 9 on the Netravati in 2A could be a problem, there's only 4 berths for that sector, so you need all 4 to cancel, then the next 4 then.......

But stranger things have happened, so don't cancel your tickets yet.

These short journeys can be fun to do in the lower classes, and can very often be done without reservation, esp. in Kerala.

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carlostik

Thank you Steven. So would you be your advice trying to get alternatives tickets online for the journey (alternatives train earlier and later, CC -about 6 hours, it won´t be the end of the world)?

steven_ber

I can't get any availability info this morning, the Indian Railway server is too busy, I did a quick search last night and didn't find anything.

You're options are as follows....

The Rajdhani runs from Kannur to Karwar, Karwar is only a shortish bus ride from Cancona bus station (then another bus to Palolam).

The Rajdhani has foreign tourist quota, so you should be able to book this when you get to India, where will you land? the places where you can book FTQ tickets are extremely limited.

There is a serious problem with the Rajdhani, it departs Kannur at 04:00.

a 2nd option is.....

Get a bus or train from Kannur to Mangalore, then....

Mangalore to Cancona trains.

Check availability for train 2620, and don't be afraid to try Sleeper Class, this is a scenic section of railway, and Sleeper Class will be fun, particularly if you can get a side berth.

There is a way to get this train without booking in advance, but it's risky, first, check the availability for Mangalore to Lokmanya Tilak (Mumbai), then check the availability for Karwar to Lokmanya Tilak, if they're the same, then you have a chance of being able to use this train without booking in advance.

Go to Mangalore Central station about an hour before the train departs, and find the reservation charts, look for a passenger who's booked from Gokarna Road (station code GOK), Ankola (ANKL), Karwar (KAWR) or Cancona (CNO), if you find one, for example, a passenger booked in berth S1 27, then look at the berth number above and below to see if it's the same (S1 27) as this would mean the railways have already booked that seat for the otherwise unoccupied section, if it isn't booked till the above stations, buy a '2nd class Superfast' ticket to Cancona(very small price), then go to that berth, and find the TTE (ticket man on train), explain that you're going to Cancona, and can you upgrade your ticket, if the booked person is getting on at Karwar (for example), tell the TTE that you'll stand from Karwar to Cancona.

As long as Karwar is on the same quota as Mangalore, there's a good chance that this will work, I'd certainly be confident, and I've done this on many trains, and on this particular train twice, although I was only going to Udupi.

carlostik

I will do my best steven. A small detail makes it a little more complicated: I´m traveling with my girlfriend. Our intention is spending the day in Gokarna (Karwar train station looks like the best option), which doesn´t change it very much.

I´ve just booked another two 2A tickets for 6346 (one confirmed, one PQWL 14) that leaves Kannur at 21:15. My waitlisted tickets are for 0166, so departing one and a half hour earlier wouldn´t be a problem. I will probably try to get today a couple of confirmed tickets in any of these three options (6345, 2431 and 0166) in whatever class. Or try FTQ once there (landing Kochi 15th May).

manishok

I'm trying to purchase tickets for the overnight train from Jaipur to Udaipur travelling on 26th July. Being based in England how do I pay for the tickets. When going to pay for the seats it asks me to choose by which card which are all Indian based. How do pay and purchase tickets from the UK? I'm already registered which was no problem.

bitchou

I had to choose between a lot of Indian banks (as a third party). I choose Axis bank. It seems ok.

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Bitchou

steven_ber

The above quote is from the following very useful thread.

How to book train tickets online - consolidated advice

manishok

Thanks Steve.
I selected the Citi Bank option and everything went swimmingly well. I've made the necessary arrangments and have the PNR number etc. After reading the threads I assume that the actual seat berth etc will be posted a few hours in advance. My booking status states that I'm comnfirmed.

steven_ber

As long as the ticket is confirmed, you'll be fine. (1A?)

carlostik

Be careful manishok, you could soon find out how addictive booking Indian rail tickets could be!!!! I got 5 in a week. Just for fun though.

elduderino

Hi guys,

I've scanned through this thread but have 2, possibly silly ,questions:

1.What is the address of the website where I can book tickets (I want a ticket from Delhi to Agra)
2. I'm booking from Uk so will the tickets be sent to my house in the UK?

Many thanks

machadinha

Yep, it's all answered in post #1 of this thread I think.

http://www.irctc.co.in/

Nope, but you can get yourself an e-ticket or whatever it's called. Just follow instructions, and yes, if it says that will work, you can take this to mean it will work.

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elduderino

HI,

Many thanks for the reply.

So an e-ticket allows me to print my ticket off at home in the UK and take it to India where it will be valid as long as I have the correct ID with me.

machadinha

As far as my understanding goes, that's correct yes (and thanks for the thanks. It's just nice to be thanked sometimes. So, er, thanks! )

I was never asked for the ID btw; but sure, you theoretically could be, so better to have it all in order. (I have been in the past, very rarely, when none of this electronic business or internet or whatever was in order yet. So just for a very regular ticket.)

(A thought is if you're gonna be the only obvious foreign name in a section, they'll trust you are that person. I noticed most of my Indian co-passengers getting away with it unasked for too though.

Anyway fines if you're caught are stiff, and I can't think of too many reasons for screwing around with it as a visitor anyway. It's a good reason not to accept some dodgy agent's ticket that isn't clearly written out to you though. For example. There are indeed scams going around in this field.)