Foreign tourist quota

CaribeanGrl · Jul 4th, 2009, 22:14

can you book a ticket for someone who is not here under this scheme? My husband will be arriving soon and I want to try to save some time, by having everything bought and ready before he gets here. I am planning to book for Varanasi(this is an overnight journey yes??)

mitzijanell · Jul 5th, 2009, 00:42

In my experience buying tourist quota, you can book tickets for other people, but you have to show their passport to get the tickets. I am not sure if you could produce a color copy instead. Try calling the foreign tourist rail ticket office in your city and see what they say.

Have you already tried booking tickets and none were available so you are trying for foreign quota? You know you can book regular tickets as a foreigner, right?

Indizen · Jul 5th, 2009, 00:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kathaknikki

can you book a ticket for someone who is not here under this scheme? My husband will be arriving soon and I want to try to save some time, by having everything bought and ready before he gets here. I am planning to book for Varanasi(this is an overnight journey yes??)

When do you need the tickets for?

CaribeanGrl · Jul 7th, 2009, 00:59

next thursday

NYTim · Jul 7th, 2009, 01:46

You do not need to show a passport to book rail tickets.

CaribeanGrl · Jul 7th, 2009, 03:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYTim

You do not need to show a passport to book rail tickets.

If you are booking under the foreign tourist quota, you most certainly do.

machadinha · Jul 7th, 2009, 10:14

Yes, however I think you could just enter the passport information, then the person would just have to have the right ID on them during the actual journey (so that passport).

Not sure though; this would be assuming it can be handled electronically (and you would hence get an E-ticket),* I'm not sure of that, as I don't live there. (To others, the Foreign Quota can't be booked from abroad.)

Have you tried to simply just book it online (or through an agent, or at the train station) & see how far you get? (Or just give them a ring, as Mitzi suggested?)

* I'm pretty sure it was a possible option with Indian travel agents I've recently dealt with though. Which would then have logically resulted in an E-ticket, so without me showing any ID until during the actual journey. Provided they're bona fide they'll have certain privileges over the average customer though (and you'll be showing them your passport if I recall), so I still can't be sure.

palerider · Jul 7th, 2009, 10:35

And also, if the ticket is available anyway, you just buy it as normal. Foreign quota is only if there are no seats left, it's a good, standby if you're desperate.

LVA · Nov 5th, 2009, 23:06

Can someone book tickets for me on the Foreign Tourist Quota before I am in India ?

machadinha · Nov 6th, 2009, 00:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by LVA

Can someone book tickets for me on the Foreign Tourist Quota before I am in India ?

No, they can't (and so my musings above were spurious). Let's continue this on the other thread you started on it, OK: Foreign Tourist Quota.

steven_ber · Nov 6th, 2009, 16:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaribeanGrl

can you book a ticket for someone who is not here under this scheme? My husband will be arriving soon and I want to try to save some time, by having everything bought and ready before he gets here.

Get him to scan his passport (the photo page) and send it to you via email, print it out and take it with you to the foreign tourist desk in whatever city you're in, I assume you'll be buying tickets for the both of you, so put your name first, I can't see there being a problem with booking.

And what Mach suggests is probably true, if you just enter his passport details it's likely to be OK (as long as you're buying the same tickets for yourself and your husband doesn't have an Indian name), but I've not tried it myself, so can't be 100% sure.

Quote:

I am planning to book for Varanasi(this is an overnight journey yes??)

I think everywhere is an overnight journey from 'The world is but my stage'.

Do you know what train you'll be taking? and if that train has FTQ in the class you want to travel?

steven_ber · Nov 6th, 2009, 17:10

There's a lot of confusion regarding the FTQ.

FTQ tickets can be booked 90 days in advance, it's not a last minute quota.

FTQ has so many advantages over normal tickets.

1, they're unlikely to be booked more than 5 days in advance (even a couple of days sometimes) as they have to be booked in India and only at Foreign Tourist desks, and many tourists don't know about them, and just as many are crazy enough to think you can just turn up and book a ticket for a train the following day.

2, they allow you to break Indian Railways own rules and quotas, for example, you can book from intermediate station to another intermediate station on a Rajdhani. (and I've yet to find a Rajdhani without FTQ)

3, The FTQ berths are kept together, so, you want a 3-tier air con berth, you look for the general quota availability, there are 4 berths remaining, do you book them.....do other checks first, how many total berths in 3A for that train (do an availability check for a date 85 days ahead to check this), you find there are 90 berths, so what chance of those last remaining 4 berths being together, you got it, no chance, so if you find there are 4 berth for the FTQ, you'll know that these berths will be together.

I'm sure there are more advantages, but my head isn't in 'train booking' mode today.

Jul 4th, 2009, 22:14	#1
CaribeanGrl Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: The world is but my stage Posts: 109	Foreign tourist quota can you book a ticket for someone who is not here under this scheme? My husband will be arriving soon and I want to try to save some time, by having everything bought and ready before he gets here. I am planning to book for Varanasi(this is an overnight journey yes??)

Jul 7th, 2009, 10:14	#7
machadinha brother my cup is empty member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 14,370	Yes, however I think you could just enter the passport information, then the person would just have to have the right ID on them during the actual journey (so that passport). Not sure though; this would be assuming it can be handled electronically (and you would hence get an E-ticket),* I'm not sure of that, as I don't live there. (To others, the Foreign Quota can't be booked from abroad.) Have you tried to simply just book it online (or through an agent, or at the train station) & see how far you get? (Or just give them a ring, as Mitzi suggested?) * I'm pretty sure it was a possible option with Indian travel agents I've recently dealt with though. Which would then have logically resulted in an E-ticket, so without me showing any ID until during the actual journey. Provided they're bona fide they'll have certain privileges over the average customer though (and you'll be showing them your passport if I recall), so I still can't be sure. __________________ Reading tips, all picked up at IndiaMike : INDAX's A Comprehensive Guide To India / Dinoj Surendran's Desi Humor / ITHVC on Culture Shock & Travel Health / JetLag Travel Guides For the Undiscerning Traveller / India Travel Links

Jul 7th, 2009, 10:35	#8
palerider this is Brad. He's cute Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Armidale, N.S.W., Australia Posts: 2,226	And also, if the ticket is available anyway, you just buy it as normal. Foreign quota is only if there are no seats left, it's a good, standby if you're desperate. __________________ I always wanted to be someone when I grew up, I realise now that I should have been more specific.

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Jul 5th, 2009, 00:42	#2
mitzijanell Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Calcutta Posts: 107	In my experience buying tourist quota, you can book tickets for other people, but you have to show their passport to get the tickets. I am not sure if you could produce a color copy instead. Try calling the foreign tourist rail ticket office in your city and see what they say. Have you already tried booking tickets and none were available so you are trying for foreign quota? You know you can book regular tickets as a foreigner, right?

Jul 7th, 2009, 00:59	#4
CaribeanGrl Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: The world is but my stage Posts: 109	next thursday

Jul 7th, 2009, 01:46	#5
NYTim C'mon the Hoops Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: NYC Posts: 201	You do not need to show a passport to book rail tickets.

Nov 5th, 2009, 23:06	#9
LVA Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Posts: 6	Can someone book tickets for me on the Foreign Tourist Quota before I am in India ?

Nov 6th, 2009, 17:10	#12
steven_ber Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: South of England. Posts: 11,566	There's a lot of confusion regarding the FTQ. FTQ tickets can be booked 90 days in advance, it's not a last minute quota. FTQ has so many advantages over normal tickets. 1, they're unlikely to be booked more than 5 days in advance (even a couple of days sometimes) as they have to be booked in India and only at Foreign Tourist desks, and many tourists don't know about them, and just as many are crazy enough to think you can just turn up and book a ticket for a train the following day. 2, they allow you to break Indian Railways own rules and quotas, for example, you can book from intermediate station to another intermediate station on a Rajdhani. (and I've yet to find a Rajdhani without FTQ) 3, The FTQ berths are kept together, so, you want a 3-tier air con berth, you look for the general quota availability, there are 4 berths remaining, do you book them.....do other checks first, how many total berths in 3A for that train (do an availability check for a date 85 days ahead to check this), you find there are 90 berths, so what chance of those last remaining 4 berths being together, you got it, no chance, so if you find there are 4 berth for the FTQ, you'll know that these berths will be together. I'm sure there are more advantages, but my head isn't in 'train booking' mode today.