The West Central Railway, one of the 18 railway zones, has declared that passengers wishing to book Tatkal tickets at reservation windows will first receive tokens.
Under the updated guidelines, AC class passengers will be issued tokens from 8:30 am to 9 am, while non-AC passengers will receive theirs between 9 am and 9:30 am.
Currently, passengers need to obtain a token and return later to finalize their bookings. AC class Tatkal ticket seekers receive tokens between 9 am and 9:25 am, whereas those booking Sleeper or non-AC Tatkal tickets are allotted tokens from 9:30 am to 9:55 am. With the new system, the entire process will be completed in one visit.
Saurabh Jain, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (Sr DCM) of the Kota Division, mentioned that each reservation counter will initially distribute 10 tokens for AC classes and 15 for non-AC classes.
“The quantity of tokens may be adjusted based on local demand and passenger traffic,” Jain noted. He also stated that once token holders have completed their bookings, any remaining Tatkal tickets will be available to other passengers on a first-come, first-served basis.
This new system prioritizes passengers booking for their immediate family members. Tokens will be categorized into two groups – Category A and Category B.
Railway officials indicated that tokens are non-transferable. The Tatkal ticket will only be issued to the individual whose name is on the token. Additionally, passengers are advised to arrive at the reservation counter punctually and carry a valid photo ID.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
First Published: Jul 28, 2026 10:23 AM IST
