How to Book Train Tickets at Railway Counter — Complete Guide

Not everyone books online. Whether IRCTC is giving you trouble, you don't have a smartphone, or you just prefer the traditional way — railway counter booking is still very much alive. Around 40% of Indian Railways tickets are still booked at station counters. Here's everything you need to know.

What You Need to Bring

Before heading to the station, make sure you have:

1. A valid photo ID — Aadhaar card, voter ID, passport, driving licence, PAN card, or any government-issued photo ID. You need the original, not a photocopy.

1. Cash or card — Most PRS (Passenger Reservation System) counters now accept UPI, debit cards, and credit cards. But carry cash as backup — card machines fail at busy stations.

1. A filled reservation form — This is the paper form you fill out with journey details. Forms are available at the station, usually in a bin near the counter area. But filling it in advance saves time. You can also write the details on a plain piece of paper.

How to Fill the Reservation Form

The standard reservation form asks for:

Field	What to Write
Train Number / Name	e.g., 12301 / Rajdhani Express
Date of Journey	DD/MM/YYYY format
From Station	Station name or code
To Station	Station name or code
Class	1A, 2A, 3A, SL, CC, 2S, or GEN
Passenger Name(s)	Full name as on ID proof
Age	For each passenger
Gender	M/F for each passenger
Berth Preference	Lower/Middle/Upper/Side Lower/Side Upper
Mobile Number	For SMS alerts

Tips for filling the form:

• Write clearly in CAPITAL letters
• Use a pen, not pencil
• If you don't know the train number, write the train name and the clerk will look it up
• You can book for up to 6 passengers per form
• Mention your berth preference but know that it's not guaranteed

Counter Timings

PRS (Passenger Reservation System) counters have specific operating hours:

Counter Type	Typical Hours
Regular PRS	8:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Current Booking	8:00 AM to 11:30 PM
Tatkal Counter	Opens at 10:00 AM (AC) / 11:00 AM (Non-AC)
Ladies Counter	Same as PRS (dedicated queue for women)
Senior Citizen Counter	Same as PRS (dedicated queue for 60+)

Note: Timings vary by station. Smaller stations may have shorter hours (8 AM to 2 PM, then 4 PM to 8 PM). Major stations like New Delhi, Mumbai CST, and Howrah run full hours. Lunch break: Some stations still close counters for lunch (1:30 PM to 2:00 PM). This is becoming less common at major stations but still happens at smaller ones.

The Booking Process

Step 1: Get Your Form

Pick up a reservation form from the station counter area. Some stations have them in dispensers near the entrance, others keep them on the counter itself.

Step 2: Fill It Out

Fill in all the details while you're in the queue. Don't wait to reach the counter to start filling — that holds up the line and annoys everyone behind you.

Step 3: Join the Queue

Join the appropriate queue:

• General queue — for regular bookings


• Ladies queue — for female passengers (shorter wait, usually)


• Senior citizen queue — for passengers aged 60+ (shorter wait)


• Freedom fighter / Divyangjan queue — if applicable

Step 4: Hand Over the Form

When you reach the counter, hand the clerk your filled form and your photo ID. The clerk will:

• Check availability on the PRS computer


• Confirm the details with you (especially if waitlisted)


• Tell you the total fare


• Ask for payment

Step 5: Pay and Get Your Ticket

Pay via cash, card, or UPI. The clerk prints your ticket on the spot. Check the printout immediately for correct names, dates, train number, and class before stepping away.

Types of Tickets at Counter

Reserved Tickets (PRS Counter)

These are the same tickets you'd book on IRCTC — specific seat/berth on a specific train. You can book:

• Regular quota


• Tatkal quota (from 10/11 AM)


• Ladies quota


• Senior citizen quota


• General quota

Advance reservation is available up to 120 days before the journey date.

Unreserved/General Tickets (UTS Counter)

These don't require advance booking:

• Available for General class and Second Sitting


• Buy on the day of travel (or one day before)


• No seat assignment — first come, first served


• Much cheaper but no guaranteed seat


• Available from the UTS (Unreserved Ticketing System) counter

Platform Tickets

If you just want to enter the station to see someone off or receive them:

• Cost: ₹10-50 depending on station


• Available at the UTS counter


• Valid for the day of purchase only

Counter Booking vs Online Booking

Feature	Counter	Online (IRCTC)
Advance booking	120 days	120 days
Tatkal booking	Same timing	Same timing
Cancellation	Must visit counter	Can cancel online
Service charge	Nil	₹20-40 per ticket
Payment options	Cash, card, UPI	Card, Net Banking, UPI, e-Wallet
Queue time	15 min - 2 hours	No queue
Berth chart	Printed on ticket	SMS/email

Key advantage of counter booking: No service charge. IRCTC charges ₹20-40 per ticket as a convenience fee, which adds up for groups. Counter tickets don't have this charge. Key disadvantage: You have to physically be at a station, and queues during festival season can be brutal.

Tips for Faster Counter Booking

Go early. The queue is shortest when counters open at 8 AM. By 10 AM (Tatkal time), it gets packed. Use the ATVM machines. Many stations now have Automatic Ticket Vending Machines for unreserved tickets. These accept coins, notes, and sometimes cards. Much faster than the human counter for general tickets. Visit a satellite PRS counter. Major cities have PRS counters away from the main railway station — at shopping complexes, post offices, and designated locations. These are far less crowded. Ask locally or check indianrail.app for locations. Book return tickets simultaneously. You can book your return journey at the same counter in the same transaction. No need to visit twice. Carry exact change. If paying cash, having the exact fare amount speeds things up. Clerks sometimes run low on change, especially in the morning. Avoid festival season counter booking. During Diwali, Holi, Chhath, and summer holidays, counter queues can stretch for hours. Book online during these periods if possible.

What If the Train is Full?

The clerk will tell you if seats are available. If not, you can:

1. Book a waitlisted ticket — you get a WL number and may get confirmed later
2. Try an alternative train — ask the clerk to check other trains on the same route
3. Book in a different class — if 3AC is full, try Sleeper or 2AC
4. Book a general/unreserved ticket — no reservation needed, but no guaranteed seat

Important Rules

• One form per transaction — maximum 6 passengers per form
• ID proof is mandatory — you can't book without it
• Tatkal tickets cannot be cancelled at counter — the rules are the same as online. E-tickets booked online can only be cancelled online.
• Counter tickets can only be cancelled at counters — you can't cancel a counter-booked ticket on IRCTC
• Agent commission is illegal — if someone near the station offers to "book for you" for a fee, that's a tout. Book at the official counter yourself.

Counter booking might feel old-school, but it works perfectly fine. For those who aren't comfortable with online booking or need to book general class tickets for short trips, the station counter remains the simplest option. Check train schedules and availability on indianrail.app before heading to the station so you know exactly which train and class to ask for.