Railway Ticket Booking: India Post provides many types of services across the country. It also includes facilities like sending letters and parcels as well as banking, small savings schemes and insurance (postal life insurance).
Small savings schemes of the postal department are run by the government and lakhs of people of the country invest in them. Their objective is to increase the habit of saving among the people and financial inclusion i.e. to provide banking services to every person. Now the government is also booking train tickets through post office.
train ticket booking from post office
The post office is now also providing the facility of railway tickets. This means that now you can book train tickets from your nearest post office only. Railway tickets for all classes (like Sleeper, AC, General) are available at select post offices across the country.
According to the official website of India Post, ‘In collaboration with the Ministry of Railways (MOR), Railway Reservation Tickets of all categories are being sold in select post offices so that people can get this facility at their nearest places.’
This service is being provided in those areas where there are no railway stations or counters. At present this facility is available in 333 post offices across the country, especially in rural and semi-urban areas.
How to book railway ticket from post office?
Railway tickets can be booked only from those post offices where Passenger Reservation System (PRS) terminals are installed. Follow these steps to book tickets:
New rule of railways
Railways has implemented a new rule from October 1. Now when the booking window for general reservation opens on the IRCTC website (irctc.co.in) or app, only Aadhaar-authenticated users will be able to book tickets for the first 15 minutes. The restriction of 10 minutes for authorized railway agents will remain as before. That means they will not be able to book until 10 minutes before the ticket opens.
If your account is not linked to Aadhaar, you will not be able to book tickets within the first 15 minutes of the window opening. Railways says that this step has been taken to prevent misuse of the ticket reservation system. The general reservation window opens 60 days before the date of departure of the train.