TTU: Indian Railways has reduced the advance booking period for train tickets from 120 days to 60 days. Starting November 1, 2024, passengers can book tickets only 60 days before the train’s departure. This change will apply to most trains operated by Indian Railways.
Impact of the New Booking Rules
The Indian Railways advance booking change will not affect some day-time express trains like the Taj Express and Gomti Express, which already have shorter booking windows. Additionally, foreign tourists will still be able to book tickets up to 365 days in advance.
Any tickets booked before November 1 will not be impacted by the new rules, ensuring that earlier reservations remain valid.
IRCTC Shares React
Following the announcement, IRCTC shares declined. At 2:20 PM, the stock was down by 2.2%, trading at ₹867.60 on the exchange.
AI in Ticketing Optimization
The Indian Railways is also implementing AI models to manage seat occupancy more efficiently. According to the Railways Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, this technology has increased the number of confirmed tickets by over 30%.
Traditionally, the Railway Board allocated a fixed number of seats for each station to ensure passengers from different stops could get seats. Now, the AI system analyzes station-wise demand and reallocates seats accordingly.
The reservation chart for a train is prepared four hours before departure. After this, the AI tool identifies seats that will likely become vacant and makes them available for booking.
Indian Railways’ Future Plans
Indian Railways aims to transport 7.5 billion passengers in 2024-25, marking a 9% increase compared to the previous year. With the new Indian Railways advance booking rules and AI-powered seat allocation, the system hopes to improve passenger convenience and maximize capacity utilization.
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