Recent rumors circulating on social media about restrictions in booking e-tickets due to different surnames are false and misleading. The Indian Railways has confirmed that there are no changes in the booking rules. The process for booking tickets through the IRCTC website remains the same as before. Here are the key points to clarify the current guidelines:
Booking Tickets for Friends, Family, and Relatives
You can book tickets using your personal IRCTC User ID for your friends, family, and relatives. The rules do not restrict bookings based on the surname of the passengers. This means that as long as you are using your personal account, you can book tickets for anyone you wish.
Monthly Booking Limits
Standard Users: You can book up to 12 tickets per month using your personal IRCTC User ID.Aadhaar-Authenticated Users: If you have authenticated your User ID with Aadhaar, you can book up to 24 tickets per month, provided at least one of the passengers on each ticket is also Aadhaar authenticated.This increased limit for Aadhaar-authenticated users is aimed at facilitating more convenient travel planning for larger families or groups.
Prohibition of Commercial Sale
Tickets booked using personal User IDs are strictly for personal use. The commercial sale of these tickets is prohibited and is considered an offense under Section 143 of the Railways Act, 1989. Violating this rule can lead to severe penalties, including fines and imprisonment.
Steps to Book a Ticket on IRCTC
Visit the IRCTC website and log in to your account.
Click on the "Book Your Ticket" option.
Fill in the boarding and destination addresses.
Select the date of travel.
Choose the traveling class.
View the available train options.
Click on the "Book Now" option.
Fill in the passenger details.
Enter the mobile number and captcha code.
How to cancel train ticket through IRCTC website
Go to the IRCTC website and enter your Username and Password.
Hover over the "My Account" section and select "Booked Ticket History" from the drop-down menu.
Find the booking you wish to cancel and click on the "Cancel Ticket" option.
A pop-up window will appear. Select the passengers whose tickets you want to cancel and check the box next to
"I have read and understood the cancellation rules and procedure." Click "Cancel Ticket" again to confirm.You will receive a One-Time Password (OTP) on your registered mobile number. Enter the OTP in the provided field and click "Submit."
Once your request is processed, you will receive a confirmation message on your screen and an email notification.