In a significant change announced by the Ministry of Railways, the Indian Railways will reduce the advance ticket booking period from 120 days to 60 days, effective November 1. Passengers will now be able to book train tickets only up to 60 days in advance, providing a more streamlined booking process.
Until October 31, passengers can continue to book tickets for journeys 120 days ahead of time. The Railways confirmed that all bookings made before the cutoff date will remain valid. “With effect from November 1, the Advance Reservation Period (ARP) will be of 60 days (excluding the day of journey) and bookings will be done accordingly,” the statement read. Cancellations for tickets booked beyond the new 60-day period will still be allowed.
Notably, certain daytime express trains like the Taj Express and Gomti Express will not be affected by this change, as they already operate with shorter advance reservation periods. For foreign tourists, the advance booking limit will remain at 365 days, unchanged.
While the Railways did not specify the reasons for this adjustment, data indicates that tickets booked 120 days in advance are often canceled, while those reserved within 60 days are more likely to remain confirmed. This move aims to reduce unnecessary bulk reservations and enhance overall efficiency in ticketing.
