Solving problems with IRCTC/Cleartrip registration

It depends on the trip that you want to do and when. There is something called Foreign Tourist Quota (FTQ) available on some trains which might help you. If you post some details of what you need somebody might be able to help.

You will have a better chance of getting this question answered on the Goa forum than here.

There is a huge amount of info on India Mike. Use the search bar at the top of the page.

Can't get these forums right either lol Thanks

Hi Dave,

thanks for getting back to me. Ive tried repeatedly to go through the link in the IRCTC Successful Registration email, which comes up with the Cleartrip boxes and asks for my Cleartrip and IRCTC user IDs and email and mobile OTPs. Even though ive double checked my details are the same on both accounts, it always says either that it hasnt been able to activate my account or that my mobile OTP is invalid. IRCTC care seem unable to help - they repeatedly said to activate on their website (whatever they mean by that, they wont ever clarify how or where on the website - i presume they do actually mean the link in their email), before going to their partners website, and now they have changed their minds and are saying i need to get in touch with Cleartrip care (which ive just done). im sure im following all the advice on here correctly, but keep hitting a brick wall. Im now only 4 weeks away from travelling, and have been trying to get my account activated for a month already.

alciren

Have you tried phoning IRCTC? There's a number in #1 of this thread. That worked for me and a few other people over the last few months.

If it's any consolation to anyone trying to survive the torture of booking rail tickets from abroad, I'm now giving up on my third attempt in the last week to sync a cleartrip and IRCTC account, my head is completely spinning yet again, I actually got the 'mobile verification code sms email' (or whatever they decide to call it today) very quickly, but have had never ending problems trying to insert the right code/password/ID into the right shaped box, everything I try to do leads to another set of things to do, and these things inevitably conflict with the first set of things.

I cant sync cleartrip with IRCTC because "this account is already active", and I can't book on cleartrip because I haven't sync'd with IRCTC, so if I follow their instructions and go for the only other alternative, I'm sent another mobile verification code to my Indian mobile number (that I don't have)

I need to calm down, then try to think logically about an illogical system.

I'm just going to sort out the Palestine-Israel conflict, then get back to the more complex problem of buying a train ticket.

I too have had the same problems syncing Cleartrips with IRCTC. As evidenced on the Cleartrips forum, it is impossible to do and everyone is having trouble with it.

With that in mind, I have been trying to book directly from IRCTC with my AMEX card from abroad. That should work, shouldn't it? No. The transaction always fails. IRCTC blames it on AMEX. AMEX blames it on IRCTC as they have never declined a transaction. At this point, all the trains are booked up. So, I am no longer looking forward to my trip as it will be a daily nightmare using all my time trying to plan how to get anywhere. I guess this is a concerted effort to make foreign tourists purchase tours and hire cars at much higher rates. I just want this trip over with.

jtseay

It's not impossible but it gets difficult for some people. Read through this thread and you will see that a good number of people have succeeded in the last few months. Did you log onto IRCTC before you attempted to synch your accounts? That appears to be the critical step that they miss out of their instructions.

It was on this thread, as I recall, that I sought help some weeks ago from "Old India Mike Hands" on the vexed matter of validating registration with IRCTC. My thanks to them - you know who you are - for advice and encouragement, and happily I can now report complete success.

The basic problem, I concluded, was that none of my emails sent via AOL were received by IRCTC; certainly they sent no acknowledgements, and therefore had none of the "Ticket numbers" given in such automated acknowledgements to quote to the Call Centre staff.

(Perhaps I should not be surprised: AOL's technology is falling farther and farther behind other Internet Service Providers, and after this episode I will definitely be switching to another ISP shortly).

So I had to use another email address from another computer (AOL is apparently unusual in not permitting use of non-AOL addresses when sending via AOL broadband). After several amateurish attempts of mine my big brother (aged 72) took charge and set me up with a version of Thunderbird called Thunderbird Portable, which enabled me to use my address quickly and conveniently - sending and receiving - on his PC.

The new registration - directly with IRCTC (why bother with Cleartrip ?) went very smoothly and quickly and, by following the advice on this blog and from the Man in Seat 61, within 24 hours I had activated my account and - with my brand new Amex card, as recommended by India Mike experts (and as now stipulated for foreigners on the IRCTC website) - bought my first tickets. Hooray, and a big sigh of relief.

Thanks, guys. And good luck if you're still having problems.



Happily I can now report complete success; once the

Yes, I've followed all of the tips. No Luck. If my AMEX card would work on IRCTC, I wouldn't need Cleartrips and all that hassle. At this point, it doesn't matter. There is nothing for me to book.

Sorry to hear that, jtseay. I am a complete beginner, planning my first train trip, but have the impression that all is not lost for you if you can book on the spot tickets reserved for foreigners. Hopefully a more experienced reader will be able to advise you accordingly.

There seems no rhyme or reason with AMEX / IRCTC transactions. Buying these tickets was the very first use of my new AMEX card, and the process was fast and smooth.

Congrats! Cassio,

You did exactly what I was planning to do. Why use Cleartrips if I have an AMEX? I have a perfectly working IRCTC account. But every transaction fails.

You are correct, I will probably be able to work things out on the spot. However, I didn't want to spend my vacation time working things out.

Cassio is referring to Foreign Tourist Quota (FTQ) tickets. They are available on a limited number of trains and can only be bought in person at a limited number of International Counters in major centres. But they might work out for you.

Anything has to be better than travelling any great distance on Indian roads.

I've had help from Dave via PM, and feel sure I understand it all now, but still getting nowhere.

Not sure how long the Mobile OTP/Mobile verification code (same thing) is valid for, I got mine last Thursday, and when dave eventually helped me find the email OTP (in the SUCCESSFUL REGISTRATION email) today, I put all the info into the sync page and am told that mobile OTP is invalid.

Do members suggest I try to get another mobile OTP with the same email/cleartrip details, or just get another email address and start over again with both cleartrip and IRCTC?

I fear that by the time I get a new email OTP the mobile OTP will be invalid.

I think that might be the best route.

EDIT If there was going to be a prize for the most unhelpful post ever I guess I just won it. Hopefully my edit makes sense.

Question. Is the Mobile OTP/Verification Code the same thing? I thought not. The verification code was for IRCTC registration. I assumed that the Mobile OTP was a separate thing. If they are not the same thing, I have never gotten a separate Mobile OTP from IRCTC (even when requested), thus never being able to sync. If I try the verification code (which completed my IRCTC registration) it fails.

I redid the whole process with a different email and such. Same problems, nothing different.