Why you should check train ticket confirmation probability before booking?
With the development in technology and infrastructure, Indian Railway has made all information on Indian trains available online, like seat/berth reservation, train ticket fare, train data between stations, current status of trains etc. Almost every one owns a device today that lets them enquire about trains and reserve tickets (after viewing the Indian Railway seat availability details) using the Internet. You can use either the IRCTC website or travel apps from the third party sources to do prior research before booking train tickets. And while you are researching, always make it a point to seek the train ticket confirmation probability first off all (in instances when the confirmed berths have run out).
Why is this step so important? Let us give you a real picture of the situation. India is a land of festivals and if the reports are to be believed than festival time train travels have gone up by more than 70% in the last decade. People do not care about the train ticket fare as long as they can journey back home to enjoy the festival with their near and dear ones. So, every month (depending on the route) there is high to medium rush due to the national, state-wide or region specific festivals. And this has a huge impact on the train ticket confirmation chances.
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When the rush is high, even low numbered wait list tickets struggle to make the cut. They hardly show any progress and when the final charts are prepared, they remain in the wait list putting your journey plans in jeopardy. Yes, you can still book long distance Volvo buses and AC buses online, but that would be taking a detour and may cause some inconvenience.
In the prior days, you could at least board a long distance train with a wait list ticket. But nowadays that route has been shut. If you do not look through the train ticket confirmation chances and make a wise call, then the ticket will remain wait listed. And in such instances (for online booking) the ticket will be automatically cancelled. So, you cannot board the train and use your bargaining power with the TTE. You cannot mend the situation even if you are willing to pay thrice the original train ticket fare!
There are certain wait list queue impacting instances that cannot be predicted such as train cancellations (meaning the passengers from another train have to be accommodated in your train) or a sudden usage of Emergency Quota, but in other instances the train ticket confirmation probability helps you stay on the right side. So, add a step after looking for Indian Railway seat availability details and make your journeys hassle free.
