2012 Update: Seems IRCTC is now not processing any foreign credit cards, with the exception of American Express (via the AmEx payment gateway). I also tried MakeMyTrip (I booked a domestic flight via MMT with no problem already on this trip) and when I got to the payment part they had a highlighted note saying they don't accept foreign credit cards for train bookings either. Hmmm. On the advice of The Man in Seat 61, I tried ClearTrip and was able to book it with no problem. Go figure. I'm leaving the rest of the post here, as the advice re Waitlists, Tatkal, etc. is all still valid, but for booking with a foreign credit card, ClearTrip seems to be the only option currently (Jan 2012).
Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Co. have taken the hell out of booking train tickets. Avoid the long queues, the pushing, the shoving, the fake “government” ticket offices, the shouting through the windows (or maybe do it once, just for the experience) and do it at your leisure at your nearest internet shop.
Unfortunately, many foreigner tourists run up against a wall when they get to payment, and also don’t know what to do about waitlists. I offer this brief explanation to help folks over these small hurdles and hopefully make your train experience that much better!
Go to www.irctc.co.in and sign-up. There are "other" categories to accommodate a foreign address.
Once registered you go to a window to plan your travel. Enter the first few letters of your source and destination stations, choose the correct ones, select your preferred class, date and don’t forget to select “e-ticket”. The system will present you with a list of potential trains – select your preferred train and then select “show availability”. Quite often the train you want will be “WL” only, or waitlisted. If the WL isn’t too big – say less than 10, or 15 if you’re booking a few days in advance – book the WL as it’s likely you’ll get a seat. Much bigger WLs often come through, depends on how flexible you're willing to be on your timing. Note that the WL has two numbers: “WL10/WL8”. It’s the second number that indicates your current place in the queue; I think the first one just indicates how many people have put themselves on the waitlist but some have already come off. Alternatively, if you really want to secure a seat now, try changing the “quota” on the first page from general to “Tatkal” quota – sort of an emergency quota that will cost you Rs300 extra and you have to pay for the berth for the train’s entire journey, not just the portion you’ll be on it. There are also some seats set aside on some trains especially for foreigners, "Foreign Tourist Quota", but you can't book that on the IRCTC site, you have to do that at the station. But you can check availability under that quota on the www.indianrail.gov.in site.
Once you’ve settled which train, select “book now” and enter the details requested. Then select “go”. You’re taken to the payment page which lists every possible Indian credit card none of which you’re likely to have. Which is where most foreign tourists give up. But don’t!! Select “AXIS PG”. Axis Bank deals with all the foreign credit cards for IRCTC. You’re shunted to a page where you have the option of Visa or MasterCard (don’t think you can use others), select as appropriate, and you’re taken to a page to input all your particulars.
Once you’ve given your credit card details DON’T hit the back button. Let the system work its magic. It will give you a confirmation number then it will take you back to the IRCTC site. Don’t use the back button to get there.
The last step is to print your e-ticket – you must have a printed copy when you get on the train. If the internet place doesn’t have a printer or it doesn’t work or it’s out of ink or a cow ate all the paper, you can access your IRCTC account later from another place that does, select “Cancel/re-print e-ticket” from the list on the left, and print your ticket then.
And you’re all set, without any pushing or shouting or misdirection. Fabulous!
If you are waitlisted you can track your status on the IRCTC site. Or if you have an Indian cell phone you can check your status on your phone – look for some “Extras” menu, or on Airtel it’s “Airtel Live”, then ‘travel’, ‘trains’ and eventually “PNR Status”. Punch in the PNR number from your ticket and you’ll get an SMS back with your current WL status, or a coach and berth number if you’ve been assigned a seat. You can of course also check at the train station when you get there early for your train. If the waitlist doesn’t come through or you cancel your ticket online before the date of travel (note that you can’t cancel an e-ticket at a train station, you must do it online), IRCTC refunds directly to your credit card – it’s worked fine for me several times.
If I have Axis Bank MasterCard(debitcard)which nomber required in IRCTC.Which print on front side four digit no or back noomber four and three
pl,help me
Posted by: Akhilesh Mishra | March 18, 2010 at 11:58 AM