Reservation Chart

As per the Railway Board's December 2025 revision, the first reservation chart is prepared 10 hours before the scheduled departure for trains departing after 2 PM or before 5 AM. For trains departing between 5 AM and 2 PM, the first chart is prepared the previous night at 8 PM. This gives waitlisted passengers more time to make alternative arrangements.

The final reservation chart is prepared 30 minutes before the scheduled departure of the train. This second chart captures last-minute cancellations, current bookings, and Tatkal bookings made after the first chart. After the final chart, no further online bookings or cancellations are allowed.

The reservation chart is prepared automatically by the IRCTC computerized system. The system processes all bookings, cancellations, and quota releases up to the chart cutoff time. It assigns berths to confirmed passengers, promotes RAC and waitlisted passengers based on availability, releases unused quota seats into the general pool, and generates the final passenger list for each coach.

The reservation chart is prepared by the IRCTC computerized reservation system automatically. The system is managed by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) on behalf of Indian Railways. Zonal Railways can also manually finalize charts if needed, but the system auto-finalizes the first chart at the scheduled cutoff time if not done manually.

Indian Railways prepares two charts to maximize seat utilization. The first chart finalizes most allocations and clears waitlists. The second chart, prepared 30 minutes before departure, captures last-minute cancellations, current bookings, and Tatkal bookings made after the first chart. This two-stage process ensures that seats freed by late cancellations do not go empty.

You can check whether a train chart has been prepared by visiting the IRCTC website or app and entering your PNR number or train number and journey date. Once the chart is prepared, your ticket status updates to CNF with a seat number, RAC, or shows as cancelled if waitlisted. You can also check via NTES, SMS by sending your PNR to 139, or at the station enquiry counter.

You can view a reservation chart online by visiting the IRCTC Charts/Vacancy portal at irctc.co.in. Enter the train number and journey date to see a coach-wise breakdown of all passengers and vacant berths. The chart displays coach names, berth numbers, berth types, and the boarding and destination stations for each passenger.

To check the reservation chart for a specific train, go to the IRCTC website, log in, and navigate to the Charts/Vacancy section. Enter the train number and journey date. The system displays the chart with coach-wise details including vacant berths, passenger names, and berth assignments. You can also use third-party apps like RailYatri, ixigo, or ConfirmTkt for the same information.

Yes, the reservation chart becomes accessible online as soon as it is prepared, which is typically 10 hours before departure for most trains or the previous night for early morning trains. You can view it on the IRCTC website, mobile app, or at the railway station where physical copies are displayed on platform notice boards and pasted on coach doors.

During chart preparation, the IRCTC system assigns specific coach and berth numbers to all confirmed passengers. RAC passengers are assigned a seat (half berth) to share. Waitlisted passengers are promoted in order of their waitlist position as seats become available from cancellations. The system also releases unused quota seats into the general pool for allocation.

RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation) passengers are assigned a shared seat during chart preparation. They are allowed to board the train and share a berth with another RAC passenger. If a confirmed passenger cancels before the final chart, an RAC passenger may be upgraded to a full confirmed berth. RAC tickets remain valid even after the final chart.

If an e-ticket is still on the waiting list after the first chart is prepared, it is automatically cancelled and a full refund is initiated. Passengers with waitlisted counter tickets must manually cancel at the station to receive a refund. Waitlisted passengers cannot board the reserved coach after chart preparation.

Vacant berths after chart preparation are made available through current booking on the IRCTC website and at station PRS counters. Passengers can book these berths online until 30 minutes before departure. Any remaining vacant berths after the final chart can be allocated by the TTE onboard to RAC passengers or waitlisted passengers who board the train.

A chart vacancy is a berth or seat that remains unoccupied after the reservation chart has been prepared. These vacancies occur when confirmed passengers cancel, no-show, or when unused quota seats are released into the general pool. Chart vacancies are visible on the IRCTC Charts/Vacancy portal and can be booked under current availability.

Chart vacancies occur when confirmed passengers cancel their tickets before departure, when quota seats (such as HO, VIP, or emergency quotas) are released back to the general pool after the chart is prepared, or when passengers with confirmed tickets do not show up for the journey. These vacancies are dynamic and can change up until the final chart.

You can check chart vacancy availability on the IRCTC website by going to the Charts/Vacancy section and entering the train number and journey date. The portal shows a coach-wise and berth-wise breakdown of all vacant seats. You can also use third-party tools like GapSeat, RailYatri, or ConfirmTkt that track chart vacancy in real time.

Yes, chart vacancy tickets can be booked online through the IRCTC website under current availability. These bookings open after the first chart is prepared and close 30 minutes before departure. The tickets are fully confirmed with immediate seat and berth number assignment. Standard fare applies and a 10% discount on base fare is often offered for current booking.

Chart vacancy tickets can be booked from the time the first chart is prepared until 30 minutes before the train's scheduled departure. After the final chart is prepared at 30 minutes before departure, no further online bookings are allowed. At station counters, booking may close slightly earlier depending on the station's operating hours.

Only e-tickets are allowed for chart vacancy booking. Only confirmed tickets are issued, no waitlisted or RAC tickets. Only senior citizen and disabled concessions are permitted. Boarding point changes are not allowed. Name, age, or gender changes are not allowed on the PNR. Standard cancellation and refund rules apply after booking.

Current booking is a facility offered by Indian Railways that allows passengers to book vacant berths after the reservation chart has been prepared. It is available both online on the IRCTC website and at station PRS counters. Current booking tickets are fully confirmed with immediate coach and berth number assignment and are available until 30 minutes before departure.

After the first chart is prepared, any berths that remain vacant are marked as currently available. Passengers can search for trains on IRCTC and look for the current availability label. Booking follows the same process as a regular ticket, but the seat is assigned immediately. The booking window closes 30 minutes before departure when the final chart is prepared.

Chart vacancy refers to the actual empty berths visible on the reservation chart after preparation. Current booking is the facility to book those vacant berths. Chart vacancy is the data showing which berths are free; current booking is the action of reserving those berths. You check chart vacancy to find empty seats, then use current booking to reserve them.

Yes, confirmed seats can become available through current booking when passengers with confirmed tickets cancel after the first chart is prepared. These cancelled seats are immediately released into the current availability pool and can be booked by other passengers. This is why checking chart vacancy multiple times between the first and final chart can reveal new openings.

If a confirmed ticket is cancelled after chart preparation, the seat becomes vacant and is released into the current availability pool for other passengers to book. The passenger who cancelled receives a refund based on the cancellation rules, which deduct a percentage of the fare depending on how close to departure the cancellation is made.

Yes, cancelled seats become available immediately in the IRCTC system. As soon as a confirmed ticket is cancelled after chart preparation, the berth is released into the current availability pool and can be booked by other passengers in real time. This is why chart vacancy data can change rapidly between the first and final chart.

After the final chart is prepared 30 minutes before departure, no further online bookings or cancellations are allowed. However, vacancies can still occur if confirmed passengers do not show up for boarding. These no-show vacancies are managed by the TTE onboard, who can assign them to RAC passengers or waitlisted passengers traveling in the unreserved compartment.

For confirmed tickets, chart preparation assigns a specific coach and berth number. RAC tickets are assigned a shared berth and passengers can board the train. Waitlisted e-tickets that remain unconfirmed after the first chart are automatically cancelled with a full refund. RAC tickets may be upgraded to confirmed if cancellations occur before the final chart.

No, a waitlisted e-ticket cannot become confirmed after the first chart is prepared. If your e-ticket is still on the waiting list when the first chart runs, it is automatically cancelled and a refund is initiated. However, waitlisted counter tickets (booked at PRS stations) are not auto-cancelled and may still get confirmed if cancellations occur before the final chart.

An unconfirmed waitlisted e-ticket is automatically cancelled at the first chart stage itself, not the final chart. The refund is processed automatically to the source account within 3 to 7 business days. The passenger cannot board the reserved coach with a waitlisted ticket after chart preparation. Counter waitlisted tickets must be manually cancelled at the station for a refund.

The first chart is prepared 10 hours before departure for trains departing after 2 PM or before 5 AM, and at 8 PM the previous night for trains departing between 5 AM and 2 PM. The final chart is prepared 30 minutes before departure. After the first chart, waitlisted e-tickets are auto-cancelled. After the final chart, no online bookings or cancellations are permitted.

After chart preparation, online cancellation of confirmed tickets is not allowed. Passengers must file a TDR (Ticket Deposit Receipt) on the IRCTC website to claim a refund. As of April 2026, cancellation more than 72 hours before departure gets a full refund minus a flat charge. Between 72 and 24 hours, 25% is deducted. Between 24 and 8 hours, 50% is deducted. Less than 8 hours, no refund.

Online cancellation of confirmed tickets is not allowed after chart preparation. However, passengers can cancel at the station counter up to 30 minutes before departure. For online cancellations after chart preparation, a TDR (Ticket Deposit Receipt) must be filed on the IRCTC website, and the refund is processed based on the applicable refund rules after deducting the cancellation charges.

Yes, only e-ticket bookings are allowed after chart preparation. Only confirmed tickets are issued, no waitlisted or RAC tickets. Only senior citizen and disabled concessions are permitted. Boarding point changes are not allowed. Name, age, or gender changes are not permitted on the PNR. The booking window closes 30 minutes before departure.

For trains departing after 2 PM or before 5 AM, the first chart is prepared 10 hours before departure. For trains departing between 5 AM and 2 PM, the first chart is prepared the previous night at 8 PM. The final chart is prepared 30 minutes before departure for all trains. These timings are based on the Railway Board's December 2025 revision.

After the first chart is prepared, passengers have until 30 minutes before departure to book vacant berths through current booking. This window can range from several hours for daytime trains to a shorter window for early morning trains. For example, if the first chart is prepared at 8 PM the previous night and the train departs at 6 AM, current booking is available from 8 PM to 5:30 AM.

Railway quotas such as General (GN), Tatkal (TQ), Ladies (LD), Senior Citizen (SS), Lower Berth (LB), Pooled Quota (PQ), and Remote Location (RL) reserve a fixed number of berths in each train. During chart preparation, any unused quota seats are released back into the general pool and allocated to waitlisted passengers or made available for current booking.

Unused quota seats are released at the time of first chart preparation. Seats from quotas like HO (Head Office), VIP, emergency, and other special quotas that were not booked are transferred to the general pool during chart preparation. These released seats are then allocated to waitlisted passengers in order or made available for current booking.

Tatkal tickets follow the same chart preparation timeline as regular tickets. The first chart is prepared 10 hours before departure (or 8 PM previous night for morning trains) and the final chart 30 minutes before departure. Tatkal waitlisted (TQWL) tickets are auto-cancelled at the first chart if unconfirmed and do not convert to RAC, unlike general waitlist tickets.

Remote Location Quota (RLWL) is designed for passengers boarding from intermediate stations. During chart preparation, RLWL tickets are processed separately from the general quota. If RLWL tickets remain unconfirmed after the first chart, they are auto-cancelled. The released RLWL quota seats are transferred to the general pool and may be allocated to other waitlisted passengers.

When a train is partially cancelled, the reservation chart is adjusted based on the revised schedule. Passengers affected by the cancellation are informed via SMS and email. They can opt for a full refund or transfer to an alternate train. The chart for the remaining operational portion of the train is prepared based on the revised departure time from the originating station.

If your ticket shows confirmed but no seat number is assigned, it may be due to a system delay in updating the chart. Check your PNR status again after some time. If the issue persists, contact IRCTC customer support or visit the station enquiry counter. In rare cases, the TTE onboard can assign a seat from the final chart if a berth is available.

The reservation chart may not show online if it has not been prepared yet, if the train number or journey date is incorrect, or if there is a technical issue with the IRCTC website. Charts are only visible after the first chart preparation time has passed. Try checking closer to the departure time, verify the train number and date, or use the NTES app as an alternative.

If your ticket remains on RAC after the final chart, it means no confirmed berth became available through cancellations. RAC passengers are still allowed to board the train and will share a berth with another RAC passenger. After boarding, approach the TTE who may assign a full berth if any confirmed passenger does not show up.

Your waitlisted ticket did not get confirmed because the number of cancellations before chart preparation was insufficient to clear the waitlist up to your position. Confirmation depends on factors like the train route demand, season, your waitlist number, and the number of available berths. Tickets with higher waitlist numbers (WL 50+) have lower confirmation chances.

Seats may appear vacant on the chart but be unavailable for booking if they are held under specific quotas that have not yet been released, if the booking window has closed (less than 30 minutes before departure), or if there is a technical delay in the system updating availability. Try refreshing the page or checking again closer to departure.