Indian Railways Rule Change: Big News ! Now Passengers to Get Ticket Confirmation 24 Hours Before Travel

Indian Railways is testing a plan that will change the game: they will release reservation charts and confirm wait-listed tickets 24 hours before a train departs, instead of the current 4 hours. This is meant to reduce stress, Indian Railways is testing a revolutionary plan, in the Bikaner region. Its goal is to give travelers more time to confidently plan their trip.

Better clarity for travelers

It's hard to make other plans when you have wait-listed or RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation) tickets because you don't know much about your trip until a few hours before it leaves. They have time to think about other options, like buses, cabs, or different trains, since the chart came out early the next day.

Not as much stress at the counter

Toward the end, a lot of people whine about traffic jams and long lines at ticket desks. If proof came early, people and staff might feel less busy and stressed.

More booking choices that are flexible

If you cancel a confirmed ticket close to the time of flight, you might get a smaller refund. People who cancel between 48 and 12 hours before the trip are charged 25% of their refund. People who cancel between 12 and 4 hours before the trip are charged 50% of their refund.

From the Pilot's Seat

The pilot began in the Bikaner part on June 6, 2025

How it works: A rough last plan is made 24 hours before the flight. Cancellations that give up seats in real time are dealt with in a dynamic way.

Goal of the railway: It's all part of a bigger push to digitize, provide better customer service, and cut costs in business. The whole country might use it if it works.

What you should tell your passengers: You'll get a text message or email 24 hours ahead of time with news.

You will only get 75% of your money back if you cancel an approved reservation 12 to 48 hours before your trip. You can only get a 50% return if you cancel between 4 and 12 hours before the event.

More than one quota for Tatkal: Charts for regular bookings have been changed by this change. Tatkal bookings and confirmations still happen at the same time every day, based on the available seats on Tatkal.

Discipline for Travel: People who are on the wait list will not be able to board special cars after May 1, 2025. They can only get on general buses, and if they break this rule, they will be punished.

Indian Railways' test of putting out ticket charts 24 hours before a train leaves is a good step toward openness and ease of use for passengers. It gives people plenty of time to adjust, makes stations more efficient, and fits with current digital strategies. As the test goes on, how well it works and how well it works with Tatkal and real-time cancellation tools will be very important before it goes live on a large scale.