IRCTC Train Ticket Booking Tips: While traveling by train, every passenger wants to get the seat of his choice. Lower berth is very important especially for the elderly and women. Although the seat allotment system of Indian Railways is completely automatic, IRCTC offers some options with the help of which the chances of getting the preferred seat can be increased. By using the right settings and preferences, passengers can make their journey more comfortable.
master list feature
IRCTC provides its users the facility to create a master list. Through this feature, complete information of the passenger can be saved in advance, which includes information like name, age and berth preference (such as lower or upper). If the priority for a lower berth or a particular seat is saved in advance for a passenger, then that information is automatically stored in the system during ticket booking. For this, the user has to go to the “My Account” section of the IRCTC account and select the “My Master List” option. After saving the passenger’s information there, the request for preferred seat is automatically recorded the next time you book a ticket, which increases the chances of getting a seat.
Don’t forget to choose berth preference
While booking train tickets, most of the passengers proceed by filling only name and age, whereas the option of berth preference is very important. While filling the passenger details the railway system gives you a chance to choose which seat you prefer like lower berth, upper berth, middle berth or side lower. If you enter your choice here, the Railways system tries to allot the same seat as per availability. Although this is not a guarantee, it definitely increases the chances of getting the preferred seat. This option can prove to be very useful especially during long journeys or traveling with family.
Senior citizen quota gives additional benefits
If the ticket is being booked for an elderly passenger then the senior citizen or lower berth quota of Railways can prove to be very helpful. Railways tries to give lower seats to senior citizens on priority basis so that they do not face problems during the journey. At the time of ticket booking, it is necessary to go to the quota section and choose “Lower Berth/Senior Citizen” option instead of General. This facility is available for passengers of prescribed age limit. By choosing the right quota, the system gives priority to elderly passengers in lower berths, thereby increasing the chances of a comfortable journey.
Smart option to get seat and lower berth together
IRCTC also gives some additional preferences during ticket booking, which very few people take advantage of. If you want at least one person in your group to get a lower berth, then you can choose the option “Book only if at least one lower berth is allotted”. Similarly, if traveling with family or friends and want all seats to be shared in the same coach, the option “Book only if berths are allotted in the same coach” can be selected. With these features, the conditions for ticket confirmation are decided as per your needs and the hassle of finding seats during the journey is reduced to a great extent.
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