Archive · 8 Aug 2026
IRCTC Charts Vacant Books Confirmed Seats Without Tatkal Surcharge
Trains in India have many seats.
Sometimes seats are still empty after the train's reservation chart is made.
Indian Railways has a special option to book these empty seats.
It is called Current Booking.
You can find it on the IRCTC website or app under Charts Vacant.
You can book from about four hours before the train leaves until about five minutes before departure.
The ticket you get is confirmed, not waitlisted.
You do not have to pay extra Tatkal charges.
Sometimes you even get a discount of 10% to 30%.
But if you cancel the ticket, you usually will not get your money back.
Indian Railways' Current Booking option lets passengers book seats still vacant after the first reservation chart is prepared.
Vacant seats can be checked and booked online via the Charts Vacant section on the IRCTC website or app.
Tickets booked through Current Booking are issued as confirmed (CNF) tickets, with no waiting list or RAC.
Current Booking charges no Tatkal or Premium Tatkal surcharge, and some trains offer discounts of 10% to 30%.
Current Booking tickets generally do not qualify for a refund if cancelled, so passengers should book only with firm travel plans.
- Who
- Passengers who missed Tatkal booking and want last-minute confirmed seats on Indian Railways trains.
- What
- Current Booking, an IRCTC Charts Vacant option that lets passengers book vacant confirmed seats after the reservation chart is prepared.
- When
- From when the first chart is prepared (usually about four hours before departure) until about five minutes before departure.
- Where
- Indian Railways trains across India, bookable online via the IRCTC website or app.
- Why
- To give last-minute travellers another way to get confirmed tickets without paying the Tatkal surcharge.
- Feature Name
- Current Booking (Charts Vacant)
- Platform
- IRCTC website and app
- Ticket Type
- Confirmed (CNF); no waitlist or RAC
- Extra Charges
- None; no Tatkal or Premium Tatkal surcharge
- Discounts
- 10% to 30% on some trains
- Booking Window
- About 4 hours before departure to about 5 minutes before departure
- Refund Policy
- Generally no refund if cancelled
- Availability Check
- Enter train number and journey date in Charts Vacant