{"id":8502,"date":"2017-06-28T00:07:53","date_gmt":"2017-06-27T18:37:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gostops.com\/?p=8502"},"modified":"2026-07-14T11:51:53","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T06:21:53","slug":"indian-railways-foreign-tourists-cont","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gostops.com\/blog\/indian-railways-foreign-tourists-cont\/","title":{"rendered":"How Foreign Tourists Can Book Train Tickets in India"},"content":{"rendered":"

So now since you’ve gulped down the basic terminologies to navigate through the Indian Railways, let’s get started with the actual booking process!<\/p>\n

Booking the ticket on your own:<\/h3>\n

\"Guide<\/p>\n

Image Courtesy: Aanavandi<\/a><\/p>\n

To be the independent, I don\u2019t rely on anybody else kind of traveler you will probably get through the process on your own, so here are your training wheels for the same:-<\/p>\n

1. Open this link<\/a> <\/i>and sign up to get a user account. You will need this user account for making any reservations with the Indian Railways in future. The process is pretty simple and the fields are self-explanatory but you can always refer to a more comprehensive guide here<\/a>.<\/i>
2. Most travelers face a preliminary issue while creating accounts due to the unavailability of an Indian mobile number. Some people in the past have tried their luck with putting random ten digit numbers in the placeholder and then using the verification code sent to the correct email addresses but the authenticity of this procedure can’t really be guaranteed. The standard way to get around this issue is to simply enter your correct international phone number (it cannot exceed ten digits). You will obviously not receive the verification code on this phone number. Instead, as soon as you enter your country other than India, you will get a message that instructs you to contact care@irctc.co.in<\/a> for verification purposes after registration. \u00a0You will need to submit some documents like your passport\u2019s scanned copy any other thing requested by the IRCTC through email for a successful verification.
3. Once you have successfully created an account, it\u2019s all smooth sailing. You can book your tickets by navigating through the website which is very user-friendly. Payments are easy to make as IRCTC accepts a lot of international cards for online transactions.<\/p>\n

Lending a friendly hand:<\/h3>\n

\"Indian<\/p>\n

Image Courtesy: India TV<\/a><\/p>\n

If you are seriously intimidated by all the hassle of verification and account creation, you can always exercise your alternative choices. Make someone else book your ticket. Now that is done through agencies and can be done either online or at designated locations.<\/p>\n

Online booking through Third Party:<\/h3>\n

\"Third<\/p>\n

Image Courtesy: OdishaTV<\/a><\/p>\n

Many sites online like Cleartrip, Makemytrip and yatra.com have the facility of booking tickets on your behalf. Each site has specific requirements and the charges may vary for different websites. The best advice is through browse through user reviews to get an idea of the experiences of the previous customers before delving into booking through any particular website.<\/p>\n

Booking in India at Designated Locations:<\/h3>\n

\"International<\/p>\n

Image Courtesy: Travel Secrets<\/a><\/p>\n

The Indian Railways have set up a few International Tourist Bureaus at prime locations (Agra, Ahmedabad, Banglore, Chennai, Delhi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kolkata, Mumbai, Varanasi) across the country where you can get assistance regarding tour packages, travel, booking and a lot more! You can even make your payments in dollars or pounds at these locations.<\/p>\n

2. The IndRail Pass:<\/h2>\n

\"Image<\/p>\n

Image Courtesy: India Song<\/a><\/p>\n

These are passes issued by the Indian Railways that provide a convenient, low cost and flexible way of using the railway networks by tourists. The highlights are really simple:-<\/p>\n