Clone Special Trains Advance Reservation Period from 10 days to 30 days
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
RAILWAY BOARD
Commercial Circular No. 09 of 2025
New Delhi, dated 28.02.2025
No.TC-II / 2910/ 2025/Special trains on Special Charges
(E File No. 3335913)
The Principal Chief Commercial Managers
All Zonal Railways.
Sub: Increase in the maximum Advance Reservation Period of clone trains from 10 days to 30 days
Ref: Coaching Directorate’s Railway Board letter no. 2020/ CHG/ 37/ 7 (pt.) dated 14.09.2025
In continuation of above instruction, Ministry of Railways further desire that the maximum Advance Reservation Period of Clone trains should be increased from 10 days to 30 days with immediate effect.
Ensure necessary action accordingly and confirm.
sd/-
(Vipul Singhal)
Director Passenger Marketing
Railway Board
Source: https://indianrailways.gov.in/
Here’s what I found about your query on the Advance Reservation Period (ARP) for Clone Special Trains—rules have officially changed:
Contents
🧾 Background: What Are Clone Special Trains?
- Clone Special Trains are additional reserved services introduced on high-demand routes to accommodate waitlisted passengers. Typically, they run with limited halts and are primarily 3‑tier AC, sometimes using Humsafar rakes.
- Originally, the ARP for clone trains was just 10 days before departure.
✅ Key Policy Update: ARP Increased from 10 Days to 30 Days
- A formal railway board circular (dated February 28, 2025) directed all zones to extend the advance reservation period for clone special trains from 10 days to 30 days, effective immediately.
- This gives passengers more time to book these trains ahead of travel.
🧭 What It Means for Passengers
- You can now reserve a clone special train up to 30 days in advance, compared to the earlier 10-day limit.
- Still, these remain special trains (with “0…” numbers), often run on low network priority—so delays of 6–14 hours are common.
📋 Quick Reference: Before & After Policy Change
| Policy Timeline | ARP for Clone Special Trains |
|---|---|
| Before Feb 28, 2025 | 10 days |
| From March 2025 onward | Up to 30 days |
⚠️ Other Ticketing Notes
- Meanwhile, Indian Railways has revised general Advance Reservation Period (ARP) from 120 days down to 60 days, effective November 1, 2025
- Reservation chart preparation is now being done 8 hours before departure (up from 4 hrs), with pilot programs pushing even earlier (e.g. 24 hrs ahead on select trains)
- Emergency Quota (EQ) rules were tightened: requests now must be submitted at least one day before journey. Same-day EQ requests are barred.
✅ Summary
- Clone Special Trains ARP increased from 10 to 30 days as per Railway Board circular in early 2025.
- General ARP across most trains has been shortened to 60 days since November 2025.
- Expect fewer waiting window days but more realistic use of reserved train capacity.
- Other structural ticketing reforms—like chart prep timing, EQ submission windows, and Tatkal identity verification—are also now in place.
🧭 Want Help With:
- Searching specific clone train schedules or availability?
- Understanding your remaining options under these booking windows?
- Booking strategies considering the 60-day window and Tatkal rules?
Happy to break down any of this further or help plan your next trip!