Calicut to Goa, Train 2617 - Waitlist and Double booking queries

cgonsalv

Hi,
I would really appreciate some help/advice with these queries.

TRIP 1: Train No. 2617 – Calicut (CLT) to Goa (MAO) on 29/12/2008
11 passengers – 8 adults, 3 kids
Made 2 e-booking via the net
Have 2 confirmed seats
9 PQWL 6 to 14 seats (not really sure what this means)

To be safe I have also got 11 confirmed seats on an e-ticket for Sleeper Class for the same train and date, in case we do not get off the waitlist.

My questions:
Is it okay to have a double booking for the same train?
Will I be able to cancel my e-ticket and get a reasonable refund?
What are the chances of the PQWL 6 to 14 being confirmed?
I am not really sure what PQWL really means - I have read the information provided but am a bit confused as to whether you do have anything confirmed while you are at that status.
We would really prefer to go on the later train, but would have to waitlist for pretty much every class for that train.
Train 6346. However the WL status for that is:
2A: WL 16/WL 10
3A: WL 26/WL 20
SL: AVAILABLE- 0005
We need 11 tickets and would prefer them to be 2A ideally
Should I make 3 bookings for all these classes to cover myself.

TRIP 2: Train No. 2618 – Goa (MAO) to Ernakulam (ERS) 4/1/2009
7 passengers – 6 adults, 1 child
We currently have 7 confirmed seats for 3A class, but would prefer 2A. During the booking process there was a box that you ticket for automatic upgrade.
My questions:
Should I put through another booking which will waitlist me for 2A class, and then cancel 3A if that comes through.
Does the automatic upgrade ever really happen?

Thanks,

steven_ber

Wow, some good questions, I'll see if I can help with some.

HOWEVER, I'm no expert, and PQWL still confuses the hell out of me, but here's my limited explanation of PQWL.

The main quota for a train is called the General Quota, the General Quota is normally for passengers boarding at (or close to) the trains' originating station, and travelling to the terminating station (or at least most of the route), when all the General Quota tickets are sold, a general waitlist is started.

Then along a train's route a select few stations will have their own places reserved on a train, these stations will be known as Remote Locations and their quota will be called a Remote location quota, these remote location quotas sometimes have a waitlist (if the quota's big enough), this waitlist would be the RLWL.

Most of the remaining seats/berths (and there normally isn't many) would be for the Pooled Quota, these would be for people not on the General Quota or the Remote Location quota, often people boarding at intermediate stations, and booking to another intermediate station, when these few tickets are sold, a pooled quota waitlist (PQWL) is started.

Here's where I get confused, it's difficult to explain, but the chances of a PQWL ticket becoming confirmed are much less that a general waitlist or RLWL ticket, mainly because of the number of berths allocated to each of the quotas, the General quota nearly always has the majority, RL then has the bulk of the rest.

If you're still awake and haven't called the Samaritans yet, I'll try to answer your questions now.

I've never heard of anyone having a problem when booking 2 lots of tickets for the same train.

Yes, the cancellation charges are minimal, just make sure you cancel 2 full days before you're due to travel.

I'd say you've got very little chance of all the tickets becoming confirmed, keep the tickets till a couple of days before the departure date and check for any movement in your PQWL position (do you know how to check?).


2A would likely be a waste of time, the number of berths are so limited that you've got virtually no chance of your waitlisted tickets becoming confirmed, do a search for 2A availability for 91 days from now, that'll show you how many berths are available and then you can work out the chances of 19 cancellations.

Maybe book 3A and SL and see what happens with those waitlists.


I don't see the point really, the number of 2A berths will be too small, and 3A is a good alternative.

Yes, but only if there is availability in the higher class and a waitlist in the lower class, and the number of berths in the higher class is even smaller, you've got absolutely no chance of all the people in your group being upgraded.

One more thing to remember

If you're all on a waitlist and the tickets do manage to become confirmed, you've got virtually no chance of being seated together, you each go to a seat where a person has cancelled, but the confirmed tickets you've already booked have a much higher chance of being next to each other.

Also, Sleeper Class isn't that bad.

Sleeper Class details & photos.

__________________
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How to get helpful replies to your transport/Itinerary questions.


Train information.


RAC & Waitlists explained.

cgonsalv

Hi Steven,
You are a marvel. Thanks for taking the time to reply to all the questions.
Based on your response I think I will do the following:
- Cancel my booking with the PQWL seats for Calicut to Goa.
- Book SL and 3A class for the later train and see what happens.
- Stick with the 3A for Goa to Ernakulam.
- Unfortunately, I am not really sure how to check the change in status – I am guessing that I will have to do it via ‘My Bookings’ on the Internet Bookings section of the website.

Other questions:
- Are all bookings including those at the counters taken just 90 days in advance or just internet bookings? I was surprised to see how quickly the seats had booked up. We have a whole lot of Rajasthan train bookings to make and it is very close to the 90 days.
- When moving people off the WL status, do they consider all members on one booking transaction, or are they done on an individual basis. Again, I am concerned because we have young kids in the group and we cannot be separated from them. Based on your comment it appears that they do not. Is there any way of putting in an ‘all or nothing’ request?
- Would it be smarter to book from the originating station, even though we are not boarding from there? Will our seats be held?
Thanks again for your help.
Chris

steven_ber

To check your current status, go to http://www.indianrail.gov.in/pnr_stat.html and enter the 10 digit (3+7) PNR number. (located at the top left of your ticket, top right on an e-ticket).

Online PNR enquiry service is available 04:00 - 23:30 IST (09:30 - 05:00 GMT)

Remember, the 1st number is the position you joined the waitlist, and the 2nd number is your current position, and CNF = confirmed.
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There's no need to cancel your PQWL tickets till a few days before the train departs, you never know, I could be completely wrong and they may get confirmed.
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Tickets go on sale 91 days before departure, these tickets can be booked either over the counter or on the net.
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Tickets go from waitlist to confirmed (or RAC, then confirmed) one at a time, and there's no way of indicating 'all or nothing' when booking.
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You can't book from one station, then board at another*, this was stopped to prevent people manipulating the quotas.

*except Tatkal bookings, don't ask as you don't want to go down that route (booking at the last minute).

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The Konkan route is very very busy, esp. at Xmas time, Rajasthan routes can also be busy, but mostly not as busy as the Konkan route.

cgonsalv

Thanks again Steven.
It looks like I should be grateful that I have managed to get what I have, and just cross my fingers for the rest.
Cheers,
Chris