Are you planning on travelling overnight any time soon? Well, when it comes to covering long distances, most of the trains are overnight ones, until and unless you make a break journey. When it comes to travelling overnight, you will need a berth, so that you can sleep at night and hence it is very important that you get confirmed tickets.
However, there are a lot of times when we check for the irctc seat availability; we see that no confirmed seats are available. Either you will get a ticket in the RAC or Waitlist, where there is a 50-50 chance of you getting a confirmed seat, and that too, you will get to know on the day of the journey, if you are taking a really busy train. So, how do you make sure that you get confirmed seats?
Here are some pointers to remember:
- It is very important to know that you can book tickets for your journey 120 days prior to the date of departure. The booking window opens up almost 4 months before the date of travel, and if it is a really popular train or a single train that runs on that route, then it is best to stay alert and by your computer at 8 in the morning on day 1 of the ticketing window and book your tickets then and there. Dilly-dallying with the booking is a strict no-no when it comes to travelling overnight and that too in a busy train.
- You will have to make sure that you provide the passenger details properly when travelling with somebody who is old. There is a senior citizen quota under which a few seats are always reserved. Hence, if you provide the proper age proof, then you will be able to access these seats, which are generally lower berths, and you will, of course, get confirmed seat at least for that person.
- You need to check every type of coach for the availability of seats. For example, if you see that the AC three-tier is full, and there is no confirmed seat available, check the AC two-tier or even the non-AC sleeper coaches if it is absolutely imperative that you travel on that day only.
- Do not wait around to book your ticket because last minute confirmed reservations are really rare even in trains that are not that busy. If you want, you can book a ticket in the RAC or waitlist 1 or 2 since most likely such seats will get confirmed before or on the day of your travel.
- And last but not the least; keep a tab on your reservation status with the help of your PNR number. If you have any queries, call the necessary helplines that will help you to understand the process. Apply for a reserved quota only when it is applicable and not through any unfair means.
The most important thing is to book the ticket on time. Doing that, you will surely have a reserved and confirmed seat for your overnight journey.