Today you can book train tickets for travel up to Saturday, January 17, 2026.
This means you can reserve tickets for any train departing from its starting station on or before this date.
Diwali train ticket booking opening date for 2025 will be starts from September 13, 2025 at 8 AM.
Although it is estimated that the highest number of passengers will travel between November 10 and November 15, passengers should book their tickets as soon as possible.
Calculate Your Booking Date
📅 If you need to cancel your ticket, Use our IRCTC Cancellation Date Calculator to find the best day and time to cancel and minimize charges.
Need to cancel your confirm or waiting ticket? Check our IRCTC refund calculator to see how much you'll get back.
Festival booking shortcuts (2025 & 2026)
Quickly set popular festival travel dates and see booking open dates:
Selected: No festival selected
Information about IRCTC Train Ticket Booking
IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) is the official organization for online railway ticket booking in India. It is very important to understand the booking windows to book your confirm train tickets:
- General Booking (Normal Quota): Opens 60 days (2 months) before travel at 8:00 AM IST.
- Tatkal Booking: Opens 1 day before travel — AC classes at 10:00 AM, Non-AC at 11:00 AM.
- Premium Tatkal: Dynamic fares, limited quota; available same day as Tatkal.
- Reservation Downtime: IRCTC maintenance (usually) between 11:45 PM — 12:30 AM; bookings pause then.
- Special Trains / Holiday Specials: May have different ARP — always check the official IRCTC notice link below.
Official reference: IRCTC ARP change (Nov 01, 2024).
How to Calculate Your IRCTC Booking Start Date
Select Journey Date
Select your desired travel date using the date selector in the calculator above.
Click Calculate
Click on the "Calculate Booking Date" button to get information about your booking window.
View Results
The calculator will show you when the booking window opens for both Normal and Tatkal tickets.
Plan Your Booking
Note down the given date and time so that you are ready to book your confirmed ticket when the booking window opens.
IRCTC Date Calculator Explained
Our calculator determines the exact time when bookings will open for your travel date based on these rules:
| Booking Type | Days Before Journey | Opening Time | Example for November 20, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | 60 days | 8:00 AM | September 21, 2025 at 8 AM |
| Tatkal AC | 1 day | 10:00 AM | November 19, 2025 at 10 AM |
| Tatkal Non-AC | 1 day | 11:00 AM | November 19, 2025 at 11 AM |
Special Cases
- Some hill trains and special holiday trains may have different booking windows
- Bookings don't open on certain maintenance days (check IRCTC notices)
Booking Strategy — Improve your chance of getting confirmed tickets
best time to book train ticket and how to increase chance of confirmed ticket in tatkal
- Prepare details beforehand: passenger names, ages, ID, mobile OTP and card details. Save passenger profiles on IRCTC for faster checkout.
- Use multiple devices: open IRCTC on phone + laptop to increase chances.
- Select alternate trains: keep 2–3 train options and classes ready.
- Use autofill carefully: Browser autofill is handy but ensure fields are correct — a single wrong character can cost time.
- Book exactly at opening time: For general quota it’s 8:00 AM IST (60 days earlier). For Tatkal AC 10:00 AM, Non-AC 11:00 AM.
Frequently Asked Questions — IRCTC booking & dates
When does IRCTC booking open for my journey date?
General booking opens 60 days before your travel date at 8:00 AM IST. Use the date selector above to calculate the exact calendar date for your journey.
How do I calculate the IRCTC booking start date?
Take your journey date and subtract 60 days to get the general booking open date. Tatkal is 1 day before. This tool automates that calculation for you.
Can I book tickets 2 months in advance on IRCTC?
Yes. With the current ARP of 60 days you can book almost 2 months in advance. Always check the official IRCTC notice for exceptions.
What time does IRCTC open general quota booking?
General quota opens at 8:00 AM IST on the booking start date. Tatkal timings are AC 10:00 AM and Non-AC 11:00 AM.
Why can’t I book sometimes even during booking window?
This can happen due to IRCTC server load, local maintenance windows, or if the reservation chart is prepared. Try again after the maintenance window or check alternative trains.
Does this calculator book tickets for me?
No—this is a date & time calculator only. To actually book, visit the official IRCTC website or IRCTC app.
What is Premium Tatkal and how is it different?
Premium Tatkal is dynamic-priced Tatkal. It follows Tatkal booking windows but fare is higher and availability limited. Search phrase targeted: "what is premium tatkal".
Important Booking Guidelines
For general bookings, the advance reservation period is 60 days. Tatkal bookings start one day before the date of travel. The timings of Tatkal bookings are 10:00 AM for AC class and 11:00 AM for non-AC class.
2025 Festival Booking Dates
Plan your travel for this year's major festivals by knowing when 60-day bookings will open:
Holi - March 14, 2025
General Booking Opens: January 13, 2025 at 8 AM
Tatkal Booking: March 13 at 10 AM (AC) / 11 AM (Non-AC)
Diwali - October 17, 2025
General Booking Opens: October 17, 2025 at 8 AM
Peak Travel Period: October 10-20 (book early!)
chhath puja train ticket booking date for 2025
This year Chhath Puja will be celebrated on October 25, 2025
General Booking Opens: August 26, 2025 at 8 AM
Christmas/New Year - December 25, 2025
General Booking Opens: October 26, 2025 at 8 AM
Peak Period: December 20 - January 5
Major Festivals 2026 (preview)
- Holi — 2026 (date varies) → Booking Opens: Check exact 2026 date — our tool will calculate
- Diwali — 2026 (date varies) → Booking Opens: Use the calculator for 2026 exact open date
- Christmas / New Year 2026 travel → Booking Opens: 60 days before selected travel date
We include 2026 preview to capture searchers looking for next-year planning (queries like "Diwali train booking date 2026").
Pro Tip: Bookings for festivals fill up in minutes, so set multiple reminders.
Special cases — what can change the booking window?
- Special / Holiday Trains: Some holiday special trains may open earlier or have a different reservation window.
- Route-specific rules: Hill railways and heritage trains may follow different schedules.
- Maintenance & Server downtime: IRCTC maintenance windows can temporarily block bookings (11:45 PM — 12:30 AM typical).
- Chart preparation: Booking availability may change as chart preparation approaches (usually 4 hours before departure).
If you see a discrepancy, click the official IRCTC website listed in the footer or search for "IRCTC special train booking window".