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How far ahead can you book a train ticket? The 60-day rule
Train tickets can be booked up to 60 days ahead. This guide explains how the days are counted and which trains and passengers are exceptions.
The rule
Indian Railways reduced the Advance Reservation Period (ARP) from 120 days to 60 days with effect from 1 November 2024. The Ministry of Railways release says the 60 days are counted excluding the date of the journey.
What that means for your date
Count back 60 days from your journey date to find the first day you can book. For a journey on 6 December, that day is 7 October. The release does not give a clock time at which booking opens each day, so check IRCTC's booking screen for the time.
Tickets booked before the change
Bookings made under the 120-day limit up to 31 October 2024 remain valid. Reservations made beyond the new 60-day limit can still be cancelled.
Exceptions
- Some daytime express trains, such as the Taj Express and the Gomti Express, keep shorter advance booking limits. The release does not state those limits, so check the train on IRCTC.
- The 365-day advance period for foreign tourists did not change.
Why it matters on booking day
Tatkal opens one day before the journey, and from October 2025 the first minutes of general reservation need an Aadhaar-authenticated account. See the guides on Tatkal and Aadhaar and booking.
Sources
Check your ticket in the app
ClearBerth shows your PNR status with a berth diagram, tracks your train live and alerts you when your waitlist moves. Tickets are booked on IRCTC, not in ClearBerth.
