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GUIDES · TRAINS · REVIEWED 2026-06-09

How to book Indian trains — IRCTC, FTQ, and every class code that matters.

Indian Railways runs the fourth-largest network in the world and sells tickets through one website — IRCTC — whose UX was built in a different decade. If you are a foreign national or overseas Indian without a local phone number, the first booking is the hardest. Everything after is pattern recognition. This guide covers the first booking and the patterns.

1 — Create an IRCTC account with a non-Indian passport

Go to irctc.co.in and click Register. For foreign nationals:

  • Select 'International' when the country dropdown loads. Confirm the flag changes — if it stays on India, the form will later reject your passport.
  • Mobile verification works on international numbers but the OTP SMS sometimes fails. If OTP never arrives, use the email verification fallback — there is one.
  • For non-Indian passports without an Aadhaar: skip the Aadhaar KYC step. Your account will work at reduced ticket limits (up to 6 berths per month without KYC, up to 24 with). For a first trip 6 is enough.

2 — FTQ, the Foreign Tourist Quota

Indian Railways reserves a small block of berths on popular tourist trains for foreign nationals. This is the Foreign Tourist Quota (FTQ). It is usually the cleanest way to get a confirmed seat on a sold-out train.

  • Who qualifies. Foreign passport holders and NRIs (with overseas residence proof).
  • How to book. FTQ tickets are not bookable on the IRCTC website. Visit a major station's International Tourist Bureau — Delhi Nizamuddin or New Delhi Station have dedicated counters; Mumbai CST, Kolkata, Chennai Central, and Bangalore City do as well. Bring passport + visa + a printed / saved itinerary.
  • Pay in which currency. Foreign currency (USD, EUR, GBP) or INR with proof of foreign-exchange encashment. Credit cards accepted at most counters.
  • When. FTQ opens up to 60 days before departure on most trains. Popular sectors — Delhi–Agra, Delhi–Jaisalmer, Mumbai–Goa — benefit from booking the moment the window opens.

3 — RAC, waitlist, confirmed

After booking, your ticket will show one of three statuses. The difference is material — RAC travels, waitlisted does not.

  • CNF — Confirmed

    You have a berth. Ticket shows coach + berth number. Board and sleep.

  • RAC — Reservation Against Cancellation

    You may board the train. You share one side-lower berth with another RAC passenger (usually partitioned). If someone with a confirmed berth no-shows, you may be upgraded to that berth mid-journey. Legal to travel.

  • WL — Waitlist

    You may not board. If someone confirmed cancels before chart preparation (3–4 hours pre-departure), you advance. If the waitlist drops to RAC or CNF, you are notified. If your ticket shows WL at departure, it is auto-cancelled and refunded.

4 — Tatkal, the last-minute quota

Tatkal is the 24-hour-advance booking window. A small block of berths releases each morning for next-day travel. It fills within seconds on popular trains — this is the segment where IRCTC agents race the civilian user.

  • 10:00 IST — Tatkal opens for AC classes (1A, 2A, 3A, CC, EC).
  • 11:00 IST — Tatkal opens for non-AC (SL, 2S).
  • The clock is the constraint. Log in 5 minutes before, pre-save passenger details, keep your payment method queued. Most Tatkal stock sells in under 120 seconds.
  • Premium Tatkal charges dynamic pricing — up to 3× base fare — and is usually a bad deal.

5 — Class codes — what to actually book

  • 1A — First AC

    Private 2- or 4-berth cabin with door, air-conditioned. Most expensive. Best for overnight on flagship trains (Rajdhani, Tejas). ₹4,000–8,000 for typical overnight.

  • 2A — Second AC

    Open coach, 2-tier berths, curtains. Quiet. Good for long overnight hauls. ₹2,000–4,000 typical.

  • 3A — Third AC

    Open coach, 3-tier berths, no curtains in most rakes. The pragmatic workhorse of Indian overnight travel. ₹1,200–2,500 typical.

  • SL — Sleeper

    Non-AC, windows open, 3-tier berths. The cheapest overnight option and the most social. ₹300–800 typical. Works in winter; avoid in North India summer.

  • CC — Chair Car (AC)

    Airline-style seating, AC. Good for day trains under 8 hours (Shatabdi, Vande Bharat). ₹500–1,200.

  • EC — Executive Chair (AC)

    Wider airline-style seat, meals included on Shatabdi/Vande Bharat. ₹1,200–2,500 typical.

  • 2S — Second Seating

    Non-AC seating, short daytime trips only. ₹100–400.

6 — Useful tools

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