New Delhi, October 17 (Udaipur Kiran): Just days before Diwali, the IRCTC website and mobile app faced a major outage on Thursday morning, leaving thousands of passengers unable to book train tickets. The disruption began around 9:00 AM, coinciding with the peak period for Tatkal bookings, causing widespread frustration among users across India.
According to Downdetector, an outage tracking platform, users began reporting issues around 9:00 AM, and by 11:00 AM, nearly 6,000 complaints had been logged. About 49% of the users reported problems on the website, 37% on the mobile app, and 14% at railway stations.
IRCTC officials confirmed that the outage occurred due to technical issues, and teams were working to restore services as soon as possible.
Tatkal Booking Disrupted During Peak Hours
IRCTC’s Tatkal booking window for AC class opens at 10:00 AM, and for Sleeper class, it starts at 11:00 AM. However, the ticketing system went down just before booking hours, affecting thousands of passengers attempting to book tickets for Dhanteras travel.
With over 12.5 lakh tickets booked daily through IRCTC, the disruption left many travelers stranded and unable to secure seats during the festive rush.
What to Do If IRCTC Website Is Down
In case of such outages, passengers can:
-
Call IRCTC customer care numbers: 14646, 08044647999, or 08035734999.
-
Email IRCTC at etickets@irctc.co.in to report issues.
-
Visit the nearest railway reservation counter for urgent ticket booking.
Step-by-Step Process to Book Railway Tickets Online
-
Create an IRCTC Account at www.irctc.co.in or via the app.
-
Login with your credentials.
-
Go to “Plan My Travel” or “Book Ticket”, and enter your journey details.
-
Select a Train based on time, class, and quota.
-
Fill in Passenger Details and proceed to payment via UPI, debit/credit card, or net banking.
-
After payment, download the e-ticket (PDF) and note the PNR number for travel confirmation.
Public Frustration on Social Media
Many users took to X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook to voice their anger, tagging IRCTC and the Ministry of Railways, demanding quick restoration. The outage comes during one of the busiest travel seasons in India, as lakhs of passengers book tickets ahead of Diwali and Chhath Puja.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.