ClearBerthClearBerth / Guides / VIKALP scheme
IRCTC VIKALP: moving a waitlisted ticket to another train
VIKALP lets a waitlisted passenger ask IRCTC to try other trains if the original one does not confirm. This guide sets out the rules IRCTC publishes.
What is VIKALP?
VIKALP is an IRCTC option for waitlisted passengers. You pick alternate trains when you book, and if every passenger on the ticket is still waitlisted after charting, IRCTC may move the booking to one of them. IRCTC says opting in does not guarantee a confirmed berth, which depends on train and berth availability.
Who can use it
Waitlisted passengers on any train type and class, whatever the booking quota or concession.
How the alternate train is chosen
- You can select up to seven alternate trains.
- The alternate train must depart between 30 minutes and 72 hours after the original train's scheduled departure.
- Passengers who remain fully waitlisted after charting are considered for allotment.
- You can also opt in later, before charting, through the booked ticket history link.
What happens to the original ticket
- All passengers on a PNR are moved together, or none are, and the class stays the same.
- Boarding or destination stations may shift to nearby cluster stations.
- Transferred passengers appear on a separate list, not the original waitlist charts.
- If you are allotted an alternate berth, you cannot board the original train.
- Journey changes are not allowed after allotment. You would need to cancel and rebook.
- You can travel in the alternate train on the original ERS/SMS.
- Once allotted, you are treated as a normal passenger in the alternate train and are eligible for upgradation.
Charges
IRCTC says no extra charge applies, and there is no refund for any fare difference, Tatkal charges included. Cancellation charges follow the berth and train status on the alternate train. A passenger who cancels after allotment is treated as confirmed, so the standard cancellation rules apply (see how IRCTC e-ticket cancellation works). If you do not travel on the alternate train, you can claim a refund by filing a TDR.
Check your PNR twice
IRCTC advises checking PNR status after charting, and again after the alternate train's chart is prepared, because, in rare cases, a last-minute change in the alternate train's composition can mean an allotted passenger is dropped or re-allotted. Once a train list is selected it can be updated only once, and the scheme cannot be changed after you opt in. What happens to a ticket that stays waitlisted is in our waitlist guide.
In short
- Up to seven alternate trains, departing 30 minutes to 72 hours after the original.
- The whole PNR moves together, in the same class, or not at all.
- No extra charge and no refund of any fare difference; a confirmed berth is not guaranteed.
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.
