Booking dates follow the official Indian Railways rule and may change. Confirm on IRCTC before you plan. Hey Ula is an early-access product.
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Booking dates follow the official Indian Railways rule and may change. Confirm on IRCTC before you plan. Hey Ula is an early-access product.
The 60 day rule
The Railway Board's Commercial Circular No. 10 of 2024, numbered 2007/TG-1/20/P/ARP/e-file and dated 16 October 2024, is headed Time limit for Advance Reservations. It says: “With effect from 01.11.2024, the ARP will be of 60 days (excluding the day of journey) and bookings will be done accordingly.” We read the IRCTC hosted copy of the circular on 25 October 2026.
The Ministry of Railways said the same in a Press Information Bureau release of 17 October 2024: “Indian Railways has cut down Advance Reservation Period from current 120 days to 60 days w.e.f. 01.11.2024; excluding the date of the journey.” We read it on 25 October 2026. The calculator counts back 60 days from the journey date. A journey on 15 January 2027 gives a booking opening date of 16 November 2026.
The circular also says bookings made up to 31 October 2024 under the old 120 day period remain intact, and that cancelling a booking made beyond the 60 day period is permitted.
What the rule does not cover
The circular says there is no change for certain day time express trains like Taj Express and Gomti Express, where lower time limits for advance reservations are in force. It also says there is no change to the limit of 365 days for foreign tourists. The calculator uses 60 days for every journey, so for those cases check IRCTC.
The IRCTC Terms and conditions (PDF) count the 60 days from the date the train leaves its originating station, so if you board mid-route the calculator's date can be one day off. They also say opening day booking is available only after 8 AM.
What we left out
We left out a 61 day option for mid-route boarding, because the calculator works from your journey date alone. Tatkal has its own rules: see the Tatkal guide. Check the date and opening time for your train and class on the IRCTC website or app.
Questions
How many days before the journey can I book a train ticket?
Railway Board Commercial Circular No. 10 of 2024, dated 16 October 2024, sets the advance reservation period at 60 days, excluding the day of journey, from 1 November 2024. The calculator subtracts 60 days from your journey date to show the day booking opens. We checked the circular on 25 October 2026.
How does the calculator work out the opening date?
It counts back 60 days from the journey date. A journey on 15 January 2027 gives 16 November 2026. This is our reading of the phrase 60 days excluding the date of journey, so confirm the date on IRCTC before you plan around it.
Did the old 120 day limit end completely?
For new bookings, yes. The circular says bookings made up to 31 October 2024 under the 120 day period remain intact, and that cancelling a booking made beyond the 60 day period is still permitted.
Which trains have a different limit?
The circular says there is no change for certain day time express trains like Taj Express and Gomti Express, where lower time limits for advance reservations are in force. The calculator uses 60 days for every train, so check IRCTC for those trains.
What about foreign tourists?
The circular says there is no change to the limit of 365 days for foreign tourists. The calculator shows the 60 day date only and does not apply the 365 day limit.
What time does booking open on that day?
The IRCTC Terms and conditions (PDF) say opening day booking, 60 days in advance excluding the date of journey, is available only after 8 AM. The calculator shows the date only. Check the time for your train and class on the IRCTC website or app.
What if I board mid-route and not at the train's first station?
The IRCTC Terms and conditions (PDF) count the opening day from the train's originating station. If you board on a train that left its origin station the day before your boarding date, booking opens one day earlier than the calculator shows. Check the date for your train on the IRCTC website or app.
Does this cover Tatkal booking?
No. The 60 day rule is for advance reservations. The IRCTC Terms and conditions (PDF) say Tatkal opening day is one day in advance of the date the train departs from its originating station, and that Tatkal booking commences at 10:00 AM for AC classes and 11:00 AM for non-AC classes. Our Tatkal guide has more on what we confirmed.
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