When does train booking open?
Pick your journey date: IRCTC opens booking 60 days before at 8 AM, and Tatkal the day before (10 AM AC, 11 AM sleeper). Aaga Ai can remind you that morning.
Or say it to your assistant: "when does train booking open for 24 December" - in English, Tamil or Hindi.
The rules
- Reservation opens 60 days before the journey, the journey day not counted (since 1 November 2024).
- It opens at 8 AM on IRCTC. The first 15 minutes are for Aadhaar-verified IRCTC accounts only (since 1 October 2025).
- Tatkal opens the day before the journey: 10 AM for AC classes, 11 AM for the others. Tatkal needs an Aadhaar-verified account too.
- You book and pay on IRCTC with your own login; Aaga Ai never books, signs in or pays.
Where to book (all IRCTC's own seats)
If you travel on... book on
| Journey | Booking opens |
|---|---|
| Mon 21 Dec 2026 | Thu 22 Oct 2026, at 8 AM |
| Mon 28 Dec 2026 | Thu 29 Oct 2026, at 8 AM |
| Mon 04 Jan 2027 | Thu 05 Nov 2026, at 8 AM |
| Mon 11 Jan 2027 | Thu 12 Nov 2026, at 8 AM |
| Mon 18 Jan 2027 | Thu 19 Nov 2026, at 8 AM |
| Mon 25 Jan 2027 | Thu 26 Nov 2026, at 8 AM |
| Mon 01 Feb 2027 | Thu 03 Dec 2026, at 8 AM |
| Mon 08 Feb 2027 | Thu 10 Dec 2026, at 8 AM |
| Mon 15 Feb 2027 | Thu 17 Dec 2026, at 8 AM |
How many days before can I book a train ticket?
60 days before the journey, the day of the journey not counted. For a train on 24 December, booking opens on 25 October at 8 AM.
What time does Tatkal booking open?
The day before the journey: 10 AM for AC classes and 11 AM for sleeper and second sitting.
Who can book in the first 15 minutes?
Only Aadhaar-verified IRCTC accounts, for general reservation on the opening day (from 1 October 2025) and for Tatkal.