IRCTC Offers Greater Flexibility For Changing Boarding Stations: A Step-by-Step Guide

In a move that enhances passenger convenience significantly, the Indian Railways has updated its boarding station change policy. Now, passengers have the flexibility to modify their boarding point up to four hours before the train's scheduled departure. This development is a significant improvement over the previous requirement, which mandated such changes to be made at least 24 hours in advance.

change is part of a broader effort by the Indian Railways to streamline and improve the ticketing process through the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) system. A notable aspect of this new policy is that passengers are allowed to change their boarding point multiple times if needed, without incurring additional charges. However, it's important to remember that if the boarding point is altered within 24 hours of the train's departure, passengers will forfeit the option for a ticket refund.

The process for changing the boarding station has been made straightforward for user convenience. Initially, passengers are required to log into the IRCTC website using their credentials. Following this, navigating through the 'My Account' to 'My Transactions' and then to 'Booked Ticket History' will lead them to the option of selecting the ticket for which the boarding station needs to be changed. Upon selection, the 'Change Boarding Point' option allows passengers to choose a new boarding station from the list of stations on the train's route. After confirming the new boarding station, passengers will receive a notification and a message on their registered mobile number, confirming the update.

This initiative by the Indian Railways underscores its commitment to improving passenger service and satisfaction. The ease of changing boarding points up to just four hours before departure not only offers greater flexibility but also aligns with the needs of travelers who may face sudden changes in their travel plans.

To sum up, the Indian Railways' new policy on boarding station changes is a welcome development for train passengers across the country. By allowing modifications to be made with such short notice and without additional costs—except in the case of changes made within 24 hours of departure—travelers now have one less thing to worry about when planning their journeys. This update reflects the Indian Railways' ongoing efforts to enhance the travel experience for its millions of passengers.

How to change the boarding station

• First you need to visit the official IRCTC website irctc.co.in
• On the home page, Log in by entering your username and password
• Then on the next page, visit My Account -> My Transactions -> Booked Ticket History
• On this page, you will havew to select ticket for which you want to change the boarding station and select the 'Change Boarding Point' option
• A new window will appear with a list of stations between the selected train route. Choose your desired boarding point
• On the new page, the station system will ask for confirmation, click 'OK' to change the boarding point of your ticket
• Then one alert message will appear if boarding station is changed successfully
• Another message regarding updated boarding point will be sent on your mobile number provided during booking