Tatkal ticket not available: what now?
Tatkal opens one day before the journey and sells out in minutes. Missing it is common, and it is not the end of the road.
When Tatkal opens
Tatkal booking opens the day before the journey, not counting the journey day itself: at 10:00 AM for AC classes and 11:00 AM for Sleeper and other non-AC classes. Tatkal fares are higher than normal fares, and a confirmed Tatkal ticket is generally not refunded if you cancel it.
Why it is so hard to get
Thousands of people try in the same minute for the same trains, and the seats go in moments. Being a minute late usually means a waiting-list ticket, even on a day when the train was not full a week earlier.
What else can be tried
Seats left after the chart is prepared can still be booked as current tickets until shortly before departure. An agent can also check other trains and dates, connecting trains through a nearby junction, another boarding station, and buses. Message your route and date and the agent will call with what is available.
We do not book tickets and we do not take money for them. A verified local agent does the booking and tells you the full amount before you pay. Nobody can guarantee a seat on a full train.