Railways: Need a confirmed train ticket? Know the best time and method to book a reservation..

Starting October 1st, the rules for online train reservations will be tightened. Only those with an Aadhaar-linked account will be able to make reservations within 15 minutes of booking opening at 8 am. Furthermore, authorized IRCTC agents will not be permitted to make bookings for the first 10 minutes, meaning they will only be able to make bookings after 10 minutes. In such a situation, let's explore when ordinary people should make reservations when they have a high probability of getting a confirmed ticket.

Indian Railways previously made Aadhaar mandatory for IRCTC users for Tatkal bookings to prevent fraudulent ticket bookings. Now, Aadhaar linking has been made mandatory for the first 10 minutes of booking opening. This new rule increases the chances of Aadhaar-linked users getting tickets.

Reason behind the new rule
Actually, train reservations are now open 60 days in advance. Reservations for trains departing after 60 days open at 8 am. Because the PRS (Passenger Reservation System) for window tickets opens only at 8 am, people start booking reservations for trains going to certain cities, including Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, at 8 am. Therefore, a new Aadhaar linking rule has been introduced for IRCTC users.

When is the chance of getting a confirmed ticket higher?
As soon as booking opens at 8 am, IRCTC users across the country begin the reservation process. This causes the server to slow down. Most users have normal internet access, which takes time. During this time, confirmed tickets are booked. IRCTC authorized agents have faster internet speeds, but they are not allowed to use them for the first 10 minutes. However, if a person makes a reservation through an authorized IRCTC agent within the 10-minute time limit, they will have a higher chance of getting a confirmed ticket than a regular user.
The most likely window will only last 5 minutes, after which all users (without Aadhaar linkage) will arrive, increasing the number of simultaneous bookings. Therefore, booking from an authorized agent between 8:10 and 8:15 am will be most likely to get a confirmed ticket.

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