Indian Railways will not offer Tatkal booking facilities on Vande Bharat Sleeper Express trains, requiring passengers to plan their journeys and book tickets during the Advance Reservation Period (ARP).
According to a report by The Indian Express, the decision has been taken to make all available berths accessible under the general reservation quota, allowing more passengers to secure tickets through advance bookings.
Currently, three pairs of Vande Bharat Sleeper Express trains are operational across the country. These include the Howrah–Kamakhya–Howrah service (27575/27576), Varanasi–New Delhi–Varanasi service (27421/27422), and SMVT Bengaluru–CSMT Mumbai–SMVT Bengaluru service (27651/27652).
Confirming the decision, Dr Shivam Sharma, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of North Central Railway, told The Indian Express that the absence of a Tatkal quota would encourage passengers to plan their journeys in advance, with all berths available under the general reservation category.
Vande Bharat Sleeper: Features and booking restrictions
Developed by BEML using technology from the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, the Vande Bharat Sleeper has been designed for an operational speed of up to 180 kmph. The 16-coach train has a total passenger capacity of 823 berths.
Its configuration comprises 11 AC 3-tier coaches with 611 berths, four AC 2-tier coaches with 188 berths, and one First AC coach offering 24 berths.
Indian Railways has also introduced specific ticketing restrictions for these services. As per Railway Board guidelines, only passengers holding confirmed tickets will be permitted to travel. Passengers with Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC), waitlisted or partially confirmed tickets will not be allowed to board.
Vande Bharat Sleeper ticket cancellation and refund rules
Railways has prescribed specific cancellation charges for confirmed tickets, depending on how long before the scheduled departure passengers cancel their reservations.
Passengers cancelling their tickets more than 72 hours before departure will face a deduction of 25% of the fare. For cancellations made between 72 hours and eight hours before departure, 50% of the fare will be deducted.
However, no refund will be provided for confirmed tickets cancelled less than eight hours before the train’s scheduled departure, resulting in the forfeiture of the entire fare.
Passengers planning to travel on Vande Bharat Sleeper services should check their reservation status and cancellation deadlines carefully before finalising their travel plans.