New Delhi, October 17 (Daily Kiran): Just days before Diwali, thousands of railway passengers across India were left frustrated on Thursday morning as the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) website and mobile app went completely down. The outage began around 9:00 AM, making it impossible for users to book train tickets or access other IRCTC services.
According to outage tracking platform DownDetector, users started reporting issues shortly after 9 AM. By 11 AM, more than 6,000 complaints had been logged. Of these, 49% reported problems with the website, 37% with the mobile app, and 14% with ticket bookings at stations.
The crash occurred just before the Tatkal booking window — a crucial time for passengers. Tatkal bookings for AC classes open at 10 AM, and for sleeper classes at 11 AM. With both the website and app unresponsive, passengers trying to book last-minute Diwali travel tickets were left stranded.
IRCTC officials confirmed that the outage was due to technical issues and said that efforts were underway to restore normal operations as soon as possible.
12 Lakh Tickets Booked Daily
The IRCTC handles more than 12 lakh ticket bookings daily, making it one of the largest online ticketing systems in the world. With the festive rush underway, Thursday’s outage disrupted plans for thousands of families preparing to travel for Dhanteras and Diwali.
What Passengers Can Do
In case of technical issues with the IRCTC platform, users can:
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Call customer care at 14646, 080-44647999, or 080-35734999.
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Email their complaint to etickets@irctc.co.in.
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For urgent travel, passengers can book tickets at physical railway counters.
IRCTC Ticket Booking Process (Online)
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Create or log in to your IRCTC account at www.irctc.co.in or on the mobile app.
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Enter your travel details — origin, destination, and date.
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Select the preferred train and class (AC/Sleeper).
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Fill in passenger details.
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Make payment through UPI, card, or net banking.
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Download or print the e-ticket after receiving a PNR confirmation.
As of Friday evening, IRCTC services were gradually being restored, but users continued to report slow performance and failed transactions.
My name is Bhupendra Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
