IRCTC Chart Preparation Timings: When is the Final Train Chart Prepared?

The Two-Stage Charting Process Explained

To balance passenger predictability with train seat occupancy, Indian Railways follows a structured two-phase charting protocol:

1. The First Reservation Chart (4 Hours Prior)

Prepared 4 hours before departure from the originating station. At this stage:

• Unutilized emergency and departmental quotas are released into the general pool.
• RAC ticket holders are upgraded to confirmed berths where vacancies exist.
• Top-priority waiting list passengers (primarily GNWL) receive confirmed or RAC status.

2. The Current Booking Window (Between Charts)

Immediately after the first chart is generated, any remaining unallocated berths are opened for booking under Current Booking on IRCTC and PRS counters. Confirmed seats can be booked during this window until the final chart is printed.

3. The Second and Final Chart (30–45 Minutes Prior)

Prepared 30 to 45 minutes before train departure. This locks all remaining bookings, updates the train manifest, and syncs passenger charts to the Travelling Ticket Examiner's (TTE) handheld terminal (HHT).

Special Rule for Morning Trains (00:00 to 06:00)

For services departing between midnight (00:00) and 06:00 AM, the first reservation chart is required to be completed by 20:00 hours (8:00 PM) on the preceding evening, allowing early-morning passengers to verify their berth assignments before traveling.