Indian Railways opens reservations 60 days before the date the train leaves its origin, not counting that date — so bookings for a journey on the 30th open at 8:00 am on the 1st of the previous month. This changed from 120 days on 1 November 2024. Tatkal opens one day before, and foreign tourists on passport can book up to 365 days ahead.
The advance reservation period, precisely
The window is 60 days, excluding the date of journey, counted from the day the train leaves its originating station. Bookings for that date open at 8:00 am IST on the first day of the window — the same moment on IRCTC and at the counters.
| Booking type | Opens | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| General reservation | 60 days before, 8:00 am | Journey date not counted. Changed from 120 days on 1 Nov 2024. |
| Tatkal | 1 day before, 10:00 am (AC) / 11:00 am (non-AC) | See Tatkal booking time. |
| Foreign tourist quota | 365 days before | Passport holders, on trains that carry the quota. |
| Current booking | After the first chart, until ~30 min before departure | Whatever berths remain after the chart. |
A worked example
You want to travel on 17 October. Count back 60 days without counting the 17th: 16 days of October before it, 31 of September — wait, September has 30 — so 16 + 30 = 46, and 14 more days of August takes you to 60. Bookings open on 18 August at 8:00 am.
If the train leaves its origin on the 16th and reaches your station on the 17th, count from the 16th instead: bookings open on 17 August. This is why two people booking “the same train for the same day” can find the window open for one and closed for the other.
Does booking on day one actually help?
On a popular train in a popular week, yes, decisively: the general quota on trains to Bihar and eastern UP before Chhath, or out of Mumbai before Diwali, is gone within minutes of 8:00 am. On most trains on most days, no: berths remain for weeks, and the useful question is not when to book but which train — the one whose waitlist family, delay record and connections actually get you there.
There is also a cost to booking early: a confirmed ticket cancelled more than 48 hours out still loses a flat charge per passenger (see cancellation charges). Booking three options “to be safe” on day one is three cancellation charges later.
Questions people ask
At what time does booking open on the first day?
8:00 am IST, on both IRCTC and the reservation counters. Popular trains in festival weeks fill their general quota within minutes of that.
Does the 60 days count from my boarding station?
No — from the date the train starts at its origin. For a train that leaves its origin the previous night, your date opens a day earlier than you might expect.
Was the advance booking period 120 days?
It was, until 31 October 2024. From 1 November 2024 it is 60 days. Older articles and forum posts still quote 120.
Rules quoted here are Indian Railways’ published rules as we understand them on the date above. They change; the official channel’s page at the time you book is what governs. YaatriGan is independent and is not affiliated with Indian Railways or IRCTC.