Train ticket booking through IRCTC has become simple, yet travellers often experience unplanned changes in their travel schedule. Passengers who already have a ticket find themselves needing to take the train from a different station instead of their original boarding point. Before making any changes, checking your PNR status helps you confirm your booking details and travel information. The ability to modify your boarding station exists in IRCTC, which provides a practical solution for this situation.
Most travellers do not know that they can change their IRCTC booking through the internet, which helps them avoid having to cancel their trip or deal with unexpected travel problems. To understand the process clearly, it is important to first know what a boarding station means, and then explore how the IRCTC changed the boarding station facility in practice.
Boarding Station Means What in IRCTC?
The term boarding station defines the specific train station from which a passenger boards the train. The IRCTC system uses the source station that passengers select during ticket purchase as their designated boarding station. Many passengers choose to board trains at later stations, which follow the same route to their destination.
The passenger who followed this procedure will board the train at Mathura, which serves as their new boarding location after booking a ticket from Delhi to Mumbai. This option enables travellers to change their travel plans after they have purchased tickets, while also providing them with a solution to avoid busy departure stations. To plan their journey better, passengers can also check the Live train running status on IRCTC to get real-time updates on train location, delays, arrival time, and departure schedules before reaching their boarding station.
Understanding what a boarding station means is essential because it directly impacts ticket validity. Passengers who do not board the train at their designated boarding station and fail to make an advance update will have their ticket treated as a no-show from the source. The process of changing your boarding station through IRCTC needs to be learned because it serves both practical purposes and protects you from ticket cancellation problems.
Why You Might Need to Change Boarding Station
The IRCTC system requires passengers to search for information about their boarding station change procedures, which occur in actual travel situations. Passengers need to switch their travel station because of unexpected work obligations and family emergencies, and better travel routes from nearby stations appeared. Some travellers choose to begin their train journey from a station that has fewer passengers because it provides them with better comfort and easier travel options.
The IRCTC system provides boarding station change options, which enable passengers to change their travel plans without needing to cancel their current tickets, because this process would result in higher ticket costs and seat unavailability. Passengers frequently need to change their travel plans because their train schedules experience disruption. Frequent travellers find the boarding station modification to be an extremely useful feature.
How to Change Boarding Station in IRCTC Online
The process to change boarding stations online is straightforward and can be completed through the official IRCTC website or app. Passengers who book a ticket with IRCTC can change their original boarding station until the train departs from the source station. It is recommended to make changes early because the window will close a few hours before departure.
The passenger uses their valid credentials to access their IRCTC account to change their boarding station. The booked ticket can be accessed after logging in through the “My Bookings” or “Booked Ticket History” section. After selecting the ticket, the passenger can see an option to change boarding station for the ticket whose modification rights still exist. The passenger can select a new boarding station from the list of stations that operate between the source station and the destination station of the train.
The IRCTC system makes ticket changes permanent after users confirm their requested modifications. The updated boarding station is reflected in the ticket information, and the passenger can verify it along with other journey details, such as PNR status. The passenger needs to verify the updated ticket information because they need to check whether the right boarding station has been selected.
Important Things to Keep in Mind While Changing Boarding Station
The online option for boarding station changes provides convenience, but users must keep in mind several essential factors.
- The new boarding station must lie on the train’s route and must be after the source station.
- Users are prohibited from changing their boarding station to a station that occurs before their original departure point, according to IRCTC policy.
- After passengers change their boarding station, they can no longer use the original boarding station for their journey.
- Passengers should also be aware that this change does not affect the fare or seat allocation.
- The passenger maintains the same seat for the trip.
- The PNR status tracking system works better because boarding station changes create new boarding locations.
Role of PNR Status After Boarding Station Change
Passengers usually check their PNR status after they finish the IRCTC procedure to change their boarding station because they want to verify that their update happened successfully. PNR status remains one of the most important aspects of train travel in India, as it contains all essential details such as passenger name, coach, seat number, and boarding station. A one-time PNR status check after modifying the boarding station helps ensure that everything is correct before the journey begins.
The PNR number remains constant, which allows passengers to use their existing PNR for checking ticket confirmation, chart preparation status, and other updates. The ongoing process maintains a constant flow, which enables TTE personnel to verify tickets without encountering any difficulties. The procedure requires passengers to check the Train Running Status through their designated boarding station because it needs to be verified on their travel date.
Train schedules experience alterations when operational needs, weather conditions, or other unexpected events occur. Passengers who monitor the live running status can determine their arrival time at the new boarding station, which enables them to skip the waiting period.
Food on Train and Boarding Station Changes
Many passengers also wonder whether changing the boarding station affects the Book food on train services. Passenger meal bookings and food preferences usually remain unchanged because these elements link to their PNR and train number instead of their boarding station. Passengers who use IRCTC e-catering services to pre-book their meals need to check for meal delivery updates after they change their boarding station.
The food delivery system for train service bases its meal delivery schedule on the boarding station, so passengers should update their boarding station beforehand to guarantee their meals will arrive at their designated station or during their trip. Passengers need to change their tickets and review their ticket information because they need to make this change before their travel date.
Final Thoughts on Changing Boarding Station in IRCTC
The IRCTC procedure for changing boarding stations enables passengers to travel by train with more flexible and less stressful options. The option to change boarding stations online allows passengers to adapt their plans without cancelling tickets or losing confirmed seats. The travellers can achieve their travel goals by understanding the meaning of their boarding station.
The IRCTC change boarding station function exists to enhance passenger convenience according to the platform’s main objective. The feature enables passengers to travel more efficiently through its capacity to handle both small schedule changes and complete travel plan revisions. IRCTC maintains its commitment to accessible rail travel in India by offering food service during train rides and providing passengers with travel information.
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FAQs
1. Can I change my boarding station after booking a train ticket on IRCTC?
The IRCTC system enables passengers who have purchased train tickets to select different boarding stations from their original ticket booking. This feature enables you to change your boarding station when your travel schedule requires you to use a different station on the same train route. Passengers can make changes to their bookings through the IRCTC website or app until the train chart gets created. Passengers cannot change their boarding station after the final reservation chart has been developed.
2. How many times can I change the boarding station for one ticket?
The boarding station of a ticket holder can only be changed once, according to standard practice. Multiple changes are restricted by IRCTC because they need to protect passenger data and keep track of passenger information. Passengers must select their new boarding station with caution because they must choose a station that matches their travel requirements before they make their boarding station request.
3. Can I change the boarding station for a waitlisted or RAC ticket?
Passengers with waitlisted or RAC tickets can change their boarding station according to standard procedure before the train chart has been developed. The variable exists because railway regulations and system functionality determine what requirements need to be met for approval. Passengers who change their boarding station need to know that their action will only change their departure location without any impact on their waiting list or RAC ticket confirmation probability.
4. Will changing the boarding station affect my ticket fare?
In most cases, passengers who change their boarding station see no impact on their ticket price. The fare calculation process uses the selected source and destination stations from the booking process instead of using the boarding point. Passengers who change their boarding station will receive no additional charges or refunds because their travel distance remains unchanged.
5. Do I need to cancel my ticket to change the boarding station?
The process of changing your boarding station does not require you to cancel your existing ticket. IRCTC provides a dedicated option to modify the boarding point without cancelling the ticket. This system enables passengers to maintain their current booking status while avoiding cancellation fees.
6. Is a boarding station change allowed for Tatkal tickets?
Tatkal ticket holders have the ability to change their boarding station, but they must follow the same procedures that apply to regular tickets. The request must be made before chart preparation. Passengers who want to change their Tatkal tickets should complete the process before their scheduled travel date because of the nature of Tatkal ticket bookings.
7. Can I change the boarding station at a railway counter?
Yes, passengers can also request a boarding station change through a railway reservation counter. The boarding point can be updated when the request is made with a written request, valid ID proof and ticket details before chart preparation.
