Railway Ticket Booking System: Whenever you visit a railway station, your attention is bound to be drawn to the bustling activity outside. Amidst the crowds, auto-rickshaws, and tea stalls, you will spot several ticket booking counters. Here, people can be seen conveniently booking train tickets—without standing in long queues or waiting for hours—and these tickets are fully valid for travel on the train.

People often wonder why others bother standing in unnecessarily long queues inside the station when there is such a convenient alternative for booking tickets right outside—simply go and get one. However, in reality, these tickets are booked by authorized IRCTC agents who charge a service fee for the service. In simpler terms, the agents earn a commission, which means the ticket ends up costing slightly more. Nevertheless, the Railways and IRCTC have established specific rules, terms, and provisions for these agents, which they are strictly required to follow. Let's take a look at the specific provisions applicable to IRCTC agents: How many Tatkal railway tickets are booked in total each day, and how much commission do agents earn?

What are the provisions for IRCTC agents?
IRCTC-authorized agents are permitted to book online tickets on behalf of the Railways. They can book General, Waiting List, RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation), and Tatkal tickets. Agents obtain their authorized licenses through a Principal Service Provider. Authorized agents can book tickets either via the official IRCTC portal or through an API-based portal.

How much can agents charge for booking seats?
IRCTC has fixed specific service charges for agents. For instance, for Non-AC tickets (Sleeper/2S), the maximum service charge is ₹20 per PNR, while for AC tickets (such as 3AC, 2AC, CC, etc.), the charge is ₹40 per ticket. An authorized agent is strictly prohibited from charging a service fee exceeding these prescribed limits; if they do so, a complaint can be filed against them.

What are the rules for agents regarding Tatkal ticket booking?
New rules regarding this came into effect in 2025. Under these regulations, authorized agents are prohibited from booking tickets during the first 30 minutes after the Tatkal booking window opens. During this specific time slot, only Aadhaar-verified individual users are permitted to make bookings. For this purpose, OTP or Aadhaar verification has also been made mandatory in many cases.

Are certain seats reserved specifically for agents?
In Indian Railways, there is no separate or fixed quota of seats allocated for IRCTC-authorized agents. They book tickets through the General Quota or Tatkal Quota, just like ordinary passengers.

Can agents book tickets even after the designated time slots?
Yes, IRCTC-authorized agents can book tickets even after the designated time slots; however, certain time restrictions do apply. For instance, during the peak hours of 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM, authorized agents were previously restricted from making various types of bookings to ensure priority for general passengers. In the case of Tatkal bookings, a restriction remains in effect for the first 30 minutes; thereafter, agents are permitted to book tickets against the available seats.

How many Tatkal railway tickets are booked in total each day?
According to official statistics from Indian Railways, an average of approximately 2.5 lakh passengers book Tatkal tickets every day. The majority of these bookings are made online through the IRCTC platform.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from NDTV India. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.