Indian Railways announced a new facility in Muzaffarpur that allows passengers to book confirm berths even after the train has departed. This system aims to help those traveling with waiting or RAC tickets to get a confirmed seat during the journey. The initiative is part of a larger plan to modernize the ticket booking process.
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How will the live seat booking work?
The railway will use upgraded Hand Held Terminals (HHT) for TTEs. If a passenger with a confirmed ticket does not board the train, the TTE will mark that seat as vacant in the HHT. This real-time update will immediately reflect on the IRCTC website, making the seat available for booking by other passengers while the train is moving.
What are the major technical upgrades?
The Center for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) is responsible for the software upgrade of the HHTs. Additionally, Indian Railways will replace the old 1986 Passenger Reservation System (PRS) with a new version in August 2026. This new system will include AI-based waiting list prediction, which will increase accuracy from 53% to 94%.
| Organization | Role in New System |
|---|---|
| Indian Railways | Primary implementing authority |
| IRCTC | Providing live seat availability on website |
| TTE | Updating vacant seats via HHT |
| CRIS | Technical software upgrades for terminals |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How can I book a seat after the train starts?
Once the TTE marks a seat as vacant using the upgraded Hand Held Terminal, it will be available for booking directly on the IRCTC website.
When will the full PRS system be upgraded?
Indian Railways will upgrade the Passenger Reservation System (PRS) in August 2026 to replace the old system from 1986.