Indian Railways May Soon Finalise Passenger Chart 24 Hours Before Train Leaves

NDTV

a day ago

Indian Railways is testing a new system to finalise the passenger reservation chart 24 hours before a train's departure. Currently, that chart, which confirms whether your seat is booked (or still waitlisted), is only prepared four hours before the train leaves its starting station. If this plan works out, passengers could get to know their ticket status a full day in advance, giving them enough time to cancel, rebook, or find other travel options.
What Is Changing?
According to reports, the Ministry of Railways has already kicked off trial runs in Rajasthan's Bikaner division. A couple of trains are part of this pilot project to test if the 24-hour system is practical and glitch-free. Depending on how the tests go, the system could be rolled out across the country.
As things stand, Indian Railways prepares two charts:
First chart: Four hours before the train departs
Second chart: 30 minutes before departure (to account for last-minute changes)
The new system aims to scrap this two-step process and go for a single, final chart prepared 24 hours in advance. But for that to work, real-time updates and perfect synchronisation across ticketing systems will be key.
Why This Could Be Helpful
Anyone who has booked a waitlisted train ticket knows the pain of refreshing their PNR right until the last minute. And if it doesn't get confirmed, you are either scrambling for another train, a bus, or just cancelling your plans altogether.
With a 24-hour heads-up, you will have time to find alternate routes if your ticket isn't confirmed. You will also have less last-minute stress at stations, especially for people boarding from intermediate stops. There will be better planning, smoother cancellations, and fewer panicked phone calls to customer care
Possible Challenges
Indian Railways will need to ensure real-time synchronisation across multiple booking platforms and stations. What happens if someone cancels after the chart is made? How will last-minute bookings or upgrades be handled? These are exactly the kinds of questions the pilot project is trying to answer. The system has to be flexible enough to allow updates, while also being stable and accurate.
This is a part of Indian Railways' digital transformation drive. Officials say that once implemented, the system could allow for early seat notifications via SMS or email. It will also help railway staff plan better, manage berths more efficiently, and reduce chaos during boarding. For now, the trials continue.