Under the Railway Board timing reported from December 2025, trains departing from a charting station between 05:01 and 14:00 are preferably first-charted by 20:00 the previous day; departures from 14:01–23:59 and 00:00–05:00 are preferably charted at least 10 hours in advance. Remote charting locations matter too, so a passenger boarding later may have a different relevant chart time. The final chart and last-minute operational updates can still change the picture close to departure.
What the reservation chart is
The reservation chart records the passenger and berth allocation for a train after charting. It is also the point at which berth-level vacancy becomes useful: once the relevant chart exists, you can see which accommodation remains empty and where along the route it is free.
Current first-chart timing
| Scheduled departure at charting station | First chart target |
|---|---|
| 05:01–14:00 | Preferably by 20:00 on the previous day. |
| 14:01–23:59 | Preferably at least 10 hours before departure. |
| 00:00–05:00 | Preferably at least 10 hours before departure. |
The final chart, and why its time matters more
A second, final chart is prepared about 30 minutes before departure from the charting location. Between the first and the final chart, a berth that is empty can still be bought as a confirmed ticket under current booking. After the final chart, current booking is closed and any berth still empty is allotted on board by the ticket examiner — RAC passengers first, then the waiting list. YaatriGan shows which chart you are looking at and when the final one falls.
The chart relevant to your boarding station matters
Long-distance trains can have remote charting locations. That means a passenger boarding on Day 2 or at a remote station may not use the same practical chart clock as a passenger joining at the origin. This is why YaatriGan validates chart readiness for the selected boarding location rather than assuming that the origin chart alone is enough.
This matters especially when you are checking vacant seats in a running train or joining many hours after the train started.
What changes once the relevant chart is available
- Your PNR shows the status produced by the railway reservation process for that charting stage. See PNR status explained.
- Berth-level chart vacancy can become visible, including accommodation that is free only between intermediate stations.
- Some released accommodation may appear in current booking inventory, but current availability and chart vacancy are not the same thing.
- Onboard and late operational allotments can still change the physical vacancy after you checked it.
When to check empty seats
If the tool says the relevant chart is not prepared, check again after the expected chart window. Once it is available, use the station-to-station view rather than a train-wide vacancy count; the same berth may be free for only one part of the route.
How far to trust this timing
The current timing above follows the Railway Board schedule reported from its 16 December 2025 instruction: 20:00 the previous day for 05:01–14:00 departures, and at least 10 hours ahead for the other departure bands. Because railway instructions and local operations can change, use the current official railway status for your actual journey.
Questions people ask
Can I book a ticket after the chart is prepared?
Sometimes. Accommodation released after the first chart may appear in current booking, subject to the railway booking window and live inventory for your exact station pair and class.
Does the chart prepare at my station or at the origin?
Long-distance trains can have remote charting locations as well as the origin. The relevant chart time is tied to the applicable charting station, which is why a later boarding point may not follow the origin’s chart clock.
What is “chart not prepared” on a PNR?
It means the relevant charting stage has not yet been completed for that enquiry. Recheck the live PNR after chart preparation because later charting and operational updates can still matter.
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.