IRCTC Bulk Booking Rules
Contents
IRCTC Bulk Booking Rules
IRCTC Group Booking Rules
Norms for Bulk Booking of Reservation Tickets relaxed
To facilitate ease of booking and travel for people travelling in groups such as for marriage, sports tournaments, school/college educational tours / field trips, etc., Southern Railway has decided to relax the norms imposed on bulk booking.
Bulk Booking is permitted without any restriction in all the Classes of accommodation and in all trains including Mail / Express, Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, Garib Rath trains and Special trains run during festive / peak seasons.
The level of competency and ceiling/limit of Berths / Seats for permitting bulk reservation has been withdrawn. Chief Reservation Supervisor or Station Master is authorized to permit bulk booking of tickets at all the major locations.
Here’s the authoritative guide to IRCTC’s bulk (group) booking rules in 2025, including offline procedures, documentation, coach reservations, and special provisions:
1. Group versus Bulk Booking Definitions
- Booking up to 6 passengers per transaction is allowed online via IRCTC. For over 6 passengers, you must visit a reservation counter in person.
- IRCTC’s official policy forbids bulk (group) booking online—only individual users can book up to six tickets.
2. Approval Authority Levels for Bulk Booking
| Group Size (Passengers) | Authority Required |
|---|---|
| *Up to 50 | CChief Reservation Supervisor (CRS) or shift-in-charge |
| 51–100 | AArea Manager, Assistant Ticket Manager, or ACM/SM/Gazetted Officer |
| Over 100 | SSenior Divisional Commercial Manager / DTM (subject to ≥25% availability of accommodation) |
| Note: Bulk booking is only permitted if seat availability is at least 50% for up to 50 pax, and ≥25% for larger groups. |
3. Booking Conditions & Procedure
- BBulk reservations must be applied for at designated reservation counters that provide this service (not available at all stations).
YYou must submit: – AA written application or request letter with journey details – SSupporting documents (e.g., marriage invitation, institution certificate) – *Three copies of passenger details (name, age, gender, ID proof) – PPhotocopy of ID of the person submitting the application
RRequests should be made at least 48 hours in advance, though earlier is advisable. Bulk requests for seasonal services should be submitted on opening day, between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM.
4. Coach & Ticket Allocation
- AAuthority allows group booking for return trips as well.- BBulk booking does not guarantee the same coach—passengers may be allocated seats across coaches if needed.
CChanges to passenger names are permitted up to 10% of total group, with one-time handwritten request submitted ≥48 hours before departure.
5. Full Coach or FTR Booking (Western Railway Pilot)
- UUnder the Full Tariff Rate (FTR) system (pilot in Western Railway zone): – CCan book entire coaches (up to 10 coaches per tour) including SLRs. – RRequires security deposit (~₹50,000 per coach), refundable. – FFull train booking of up to 24 coaches is possible with proportionate deposit.
CCancellation or refund under FTR is handled manually via Chief Commercial Manager.
6. Quick Reference Summary
- *Online IRCTC booking is limited to max 6 passengers per user/month; bulk booking offline only.- BBulk group bookings require approval from railway authority based on group size: – CCRS: ≤50 passengers – AArea Manager/ACM/ATM: up to 100 – SSr. DCM/DTM: above 100 (subject to seat availability)- *Document requirements: request letter, passenger list (×3), relevant certificates or invitations, and ID copies.- RRequests should be processed ≥48 hours in advance, prefer seasonal window (8‑9 AM on opening day).- *Booking does not guarantee same coach seats.– *Name changes allowed up to 10% of group with one-time request ≥48 hrs prior.- *FTR scheme (Western Railway pilot) allows full coach or train block booking with refundable deposit.
Real-World Insights
““Part cancellation is allowed on bulk booking up to a max 10% of the total tickets… A bunch of weird rules concerning bulk booking.”
““If seats are not available in a single coach, they’ll be booked as per availability in different coaches.”
Would you like help with:
- A sample request letter/template for bulk booking?
- Contact info for authorized reservation counters in a specific city?
- Guidance on FTR scheme availability in your railway zone?