IRCTC Ticket Booking Issues and Solutions

If you have ever encountered issues with booking train tickets through the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) app or website, you know how frustrating it can be. Here are some common issues faced during the booking process and what you can do to resolve them.

Issue Description

Recently, a user faced a unique issue where they successfully completed an electronic payment for train tickets on the IRCTC app but could not retrieve the tickets and did not see any refund in the app. The problem seemed to stem from a failure in seat availability after the payment was completed.

What Happened?

The user attempted to book three 2AC tickets for the 12332 train, which showed availability as “AVAILABLE-0013” on the exact 120th day before the date of journey (DOJ). After making the payment, an error message briefly appeared, stating that no more bookings were allowed, and then the page redirected. Even though a payment was made, the PNR (Passenger Reservation Number) was not generated due to the quick sell-out of available seats to confirmed and reserved ticket passengers (CNF and RAC).

Resolution Process

The best course of action is to visit the official IRCTC website and find the Contact Us section. From there, you can mail the company with your transaction ID and specific details about your booking. The company may request further information to troubleshoot the issue. If this is a system failure, the amount will be completely refunded automatically within a few days due to the failure in generating the PNR number.

Additional Tips and Experiences

To prevent such issues, it is advisable to monitor the seat availability closely. The user shared their experience of checking the 12332 Himgiri Express seat availability as “AVAILABLE-0013” and encountered a similar error message after payment during the 120-day booking window. Following the error, they quickly sought an alternative train and secured 2AC tickets in the 13152 JAT-KOAA Express, as availability was still “AVAILABLE-0008.”

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue 1: Quick Sell-out During Payment

During the 120-day booking period, the user tried to book 3 2AC tickets in the 12331 Himgiri Express with seat availability as “AVAILABLE-0020.” However, due to the quick sell-out, they received RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation) tickets, which were fortunate in this case as the seat numbers fell within the top 10 RAC tickets, increasing the likelihood of confirmation on the DOJ.

Issue 2: System Refund After Failed Booking

In another instance, the seat allocation failed on the initial attempt, leading to no tickets and no PNR generation. However, within two to three days, the user found out that the amount was fully refunded due to the system failure. No cancellation charges were applied as it was an internal issue rather than a customer-initiated cancellation.

Conclusion

When encountering issues during IRCTC ticket bookings, it is important to monitor seat availability closely and take the necessary steps to secure your tickets. If you find that your booking has failed, follow up with the IRCTC helpdesk team and provide them with your transaction details. In case of system issues, refunds will generally be processed automatically. Always stay updated with the latest policies and seek assistance when needed.