Delhi-Varanasi 1AC WL/1 - will I get it?

asar

Hi everyone!

I'm Mexican and interning during the summer for Infosys Technologies at Chennai. It has been a truly amazing opportunity to get to know this spectacular, very complex and interesting country. At the same time, because of my work assignment, I've been analysing the interactions between Mexican and Indian culture and have been enjoying it loads.

This Friday I will be travelling to Varanasi - to keep it affordable yet doable in a weekend, I'm flying to Delhi and then taking the overnight 20.40 train to Varanasi. Yesterday I bought a 1AC ticket but was placed on PQWL/1, and I'm still there. There's 8 people on the 2AC list and 13 on the 3AC one I believe. Do you reckon I'll get the 1AC place or should I buy a 2AC or 3AC ticket to maximise my chances? If it's unlikely I'll get any tickets at all, tell me so I can book a plane ticket.

Thanks for your help!!

Rupse

I would think you stand a very good chance of getting a confirmed seat/berth. You are in WL position 1.

Above you in the pecking order are people who have RAC tickets (Reservation against cancellation). People with such tickets can board the train and will be allocated seats either on the train or can get their seat numbers from the charts which will be displayed on the platform 1-2 hours before departure.

You are next on the list with your WL (wait listing) ticket and you are at the top of this list (position 1). You will probably only know on the day if you do actually have a seat because they only work out the final allocation of seats a few hours before departure. It is a risk but you are taking, but you should be lucky.

If you are still planning to go by train check on the platform for the reservation list (2 hours before departure) and see what seat you have been given (assuming you are lucky) before entering the train. If in doubt ask at the enquiry desk or at the station masters office.

Good luck and enjoy Varanasi (it is great there).

asar

Thanks for your reply!

There's a single Tatkal place left on 2AC on an earlier train; I would prefer a 1AC berth and this means I have to leave work early, however it's confirmed. As it's taktal, I only get 25% back if I cancel and cannot cancel when there's less than 24 hours until the train. Are my chances bad enough on the 1AC ticket that I should take this one, or do I just hold on? I think as I'm in PQWL there's no RAC, am I right in this?

Rupse

If you wait your WL1 ticket will probably 'move up' to a RAC ticket (but nothing in life is guaranteed). With a RAC you can enter the train and will get a allocated seat from the conductor (or you can look at the charts on the platform).

As you are a foreigner, why not go to the foreigners reservation counter at Chennai Central Station and ask there - they are very friendly (second floor I think). They will able to tell you the latest status on your ticket (although you could probably do that online as well), and they can advise you on the Taktal. If you cancel your 1AC you should get it mostly refunded (but I can't say exactly how much: the sooner you cancel the more money you will get).

If money is not a problem then get the Taktal and then you know you have a seat.

I am assuming you have asked for the tourist quota for your train? Each train has seats for foreigners only.

Good luck.

steven_ber

I cant do any checks as the Indian Railway website has gone to bed for the night.

But if I had to guess, I'd say you've got a good chance of your WL 1 ticket becoming confirmed, but that may depend on the status of general quota tickets (New Delhi to Dharbhanga tickets, and possibly New Delhi-Muzaffarpur or Samastipur tickets if these are from the general quota).

You're right, there's no RAC in 1A, so you only need one cancellation, however, you need a cancellation from the pooled quota, rather than from the general quota.

Check to see the availability status of New Delhi to Dharbhanga, this should be different to your NDLS-BSB quota, also check the different other quotas (It's all bloody quotas on IR), look to see if any tickets are still remaining on the foreign tourist quota and on the military quota, the berths from these (and other) quotas are used to reduce the waitlist when the reservation chart is prepared.

The unused quota berths are used to reduce the general quota waitlist, but I think if there are still berths remaining after that, then the berths would be used to reduce the Pooled Quota waitlist, hopefully our member VSP can confirm this.

So whilst I think you've probibly got a good chance, it really depends on the availability status on the general quota, and I cant check that at the moment.

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steven_ber

Good idea, whilst there, ask them to check for availability on other trains to Varanasi Jn or to Mughal Sarai (16kms from Varanasi).


About 14,000 trains a day, maybe 200 of those trains have a few berths reserved for the Foreign Tourist quota.

asar

Hi all, thanks!

Unfortunately I can't go to the counter as I'm in office all day all the way to Sholinganallur, and can't get there before they close. I called yesterday but they weren't very helpful, they told me to try going to New Delhi personally as that's where my train's leaving from!

I checked the foreign quota and was showing 0 availability, but my ticket is booked on just the general quota. I'm not sure if I am eligible to get tickets on that quota, though, as my visa involves employment and I don't really have encashment certificates / ATM receipts for my rupees, although I guess I can try.

I just got a Taktal ticket for the 18.15 train that leaves from DLI, quite dear but at least cheaper than the plane + a night's stay. I'd still prefer the later train, as it's on a higher class and involves a nicer schedule; furthermore, it seems a more direct and important train and probably won't get delayed, but well, we'll see.

The 1AC ticket is still on PQWL/1...

Baba

Both 2560 and 2562 go from NDLS to BSB and as of now 2560 has one berth (2AC) and 2562 has two (2AC) in the foreign tourist's quota for the overnight service on Aug 8.
Just in case you make it to the station...

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Baba

Rupse

A fair point Steven. I was thinking of all "tourist trains", having Foreign Tourist Quota, but even that is not correct - most of the important ones do.

I have got myself out of a few tight corners getting a tourist quota. Always worth remembering.