Gone are the days when you had to run behind the Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) to know if there were any vacant seats on the train. You can easily find it out using the IRCTC app or website, without login. Wondering how? Read on to find out. This will be a quick and easy way for you to find vacant seats on a train, and even if you don’t have a confirmed ticket, you could get a seat following this guide.
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Steps to find vacant seats on a train from the IRCTC website
The process to find vacant seats from the IRCTC website works as follows:
Step 1: Go to the IRCTC website and on the main page, right above the Book Ticket box, you’ll see an option called Charts/Vacancy.
Step 2: Click on it and this will open a new tab named Reservation Chart.
Step 3: Enter the Train Name/Number in the first box and Boarding Station in the second box.
Step 4: Click on Get Train Chart now. This will bring up the Reservation Chart with the details of vacant seats.
You can find vacant seats in different classes and in different coaches, even berth-wise.
Steps to find vacant seats on a train using the IRCTC app
On the mobile phone, you can use the official IRCTC app. It is present on both Android and iOS app stores. Once it is downloaded and installed, you can follow the below steps to book a vacant seat for yourself.
Step 1: Open the IRCTC app.
Step 2: Tap on the Train icon.
Step 3: Click on Chart Vacancy. This opens the Reservation Chart page on the mobile web browser.
Step 4: Enter the journey details like the Train Name/Number as well as the Boarding Station.
You will see the available vacant berths along with the number of vacant screens on the screen. However, if the details can be shared by a TTE only, it will be mentioned.
Also, you need not log in to the IRCTC app to get all these details. So, no IRCTC account is required to find vacant seats on the IRCTC app.
FAQs
What is IRCTC reservation chart?
A Reservation Chart is a record of all the passengers who have reserved a seat to travel on a train. The final reservation chart includes updated information about all the confirmed, waiting and cancelled or vacant berths. The lattermost is what we are concerned about here. You will be able to learn the status of vacant berths from both train source and intermediate locations.
How does IRCTC vacant seat booking works?
Once you find there are vacant seats available on the train you are planning to travel on, go to the TTE for onboard booking or do it on the web or from your mobile phone.
Do third-party travel websites provide accurate seat availability information?
Yes, only if the 3rd party travel website or app is an authorized partner of Indian Railways and is using NTES (National Train Enquiry System) that offers real-time status of train schedules, live station, cancelled trains, rescheduled trains, diverted trains, and trains between stations.
Are there specific times or days when vacant seats are more likely to be available?
You can see and book vacant seats on the first chart that’s prepared 4 hours before the train’s departure.
Further, 30 minutes before the train’s departure, the second chart also gets prepared.
Can I upgrade my seat from RAC to a confirmed seat?
Indian Railways has this rule by which if a passenger doesn’t turn up to their reserved seat 10 minutes before the train’s departure, that seat may get allotted to another passenger who is on the RAC list/Waiting list.
How accurate is the seat availability information provided online?
Since the charts are prepared by the Indian Railways, we don’t have any reason to question their accuracy. If you are not satisfied with the seat availability on the first chart, ensure you check the second chart.
What should I do if I find a vacant seat on the website but the ticket is not confirmed during booking?
Contact the Indian Railways helpline, TTE on the train or the counter at the station to know the confirmation status.
