IRCTC Connecting Journey Booking | Use, Benefits, Rules of Connecting PNR

The IRCTC Next Generation eTicketing System, irctc.co.in allows railway users an option for connecting journey booking while doing railway reservation online. What is it? When to use it and what are its benefits? What are the rules of railway regarding connecting journey. We discuss all of it here.

We recommend you to also see Indian Railway Break Journey Tickets which are bit different.

First let us see quickly see how to connect two PNR in Indian Railway:

Step 1. Login to irctc.co.in website and under trains select "Connecting Journey Booking Option".

Step 2: Now find train by providing source and destination (for the train you want to connect to) as you normally do while booking tickets online on irctc.

Step 3: When you click find trains, you will be presented list of trains. Select your train and click "Book Now". As soon as you click "Book Now" you will see following message displayed by irctc railway reservation system.

Step 4: Click "OK".  Enter PNR number of  a train ticket with which you want to connect the ticket you are booking now.

Please be careful here. If main ticket was booked on counter insure that you provided phone number. If main journey ticket (first train ticket) was booked online, make sure you have done login on irctc with same irctc user id which you used for booking ticket for main leg/part of journey.

Step 6: Now system will validate your PNR. If you booked first ticket online, the details of passengers will automatically get filled. On the other hand if first ticket was booked at Indian Railway PRS counter, system will send you OTP (One Time Password) on a phone number which was provided while filling reservation form. You need to verify using OTP sent to you. If verification succeeds two PNRs will be linked and passenger details will get filled up.

Step 7: Finalize train booking by paying online.

Congratulations! Your connecting journey booking process is completed.

Connecting Journey Ticket 

It's a type of ticket which can be booked online on IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) website. The booking procedure is almost same as that of normal train booking on irctc website/ app. It doesn't matter whether you have booked your train ticket from railway reservation counter PRS (Passenger Reservation System) or online. Both train tickets can be connected (see rules mentioned below).

Use of Connecting Train Ticket

As the name suggests, the connecting train tickets is used to connect two train journeys. It is mostly used in a scenario when there are no direct trains available between the two stations on a route on which an individual wishes to travel.

Most probably when no direct trains are available an individual books a train ticket to an intermediate station/ place to where the direct train is available and than again books another ticket from that intermediate station to his final destination. Thus he needs to book two train tickets. 

But with the help of connecting journey railway tickets (offered by IRCTC), he can buy just 1 ticket for entire journey.

Benefits of Connecting PNRs

Connecting PNR (Passenger Name Record) of all train journeys offer some major benefits:

1. You don't have to book separate tickets for each leg of your journey.
2. If a connecting train is missed due to delay in main train you get full refund for the connecting train ticket. Had you not purchased a connecting train ticket, you will be required to file TDR ticket depository receipt) to claim the refund from railway.
3. You save money. Remember that each time you book/ cancel train tickets you pay for clerical charges, convenience fee, GST, service tax, payment gateway charges etc. IRCTC booking charges are also applicable on internet booking. Here all these charges are waived off.
4. You can plan and manage your tour much better because you don't have to worry about what will happen if I miss my train.

Indian Railway Connecting Journey Rules

1. The gap between two train journeys must not exceed 5 days. At minimum there must be a gap of 1 minute between scheduled arrival time of main train and scheduled departure time of connecting train from intermediate station.
2. The boarding point of connecting train must be same as destination station of main train. Also while doing reservation user has to fill same station in "PNR from" and "Boarding Station". Additionally,  entries in"PNR to" and "Reserved upto" stations must match.
3. All passengers details should be exactly similar on both main ticket and connecting ticket. Name, age, date of birth etc. Modification is not allowed.
4. Mobile number must be provided if ticket is purchased at railway counter. It will be used to send OTP (One Time Password) to validate the connecting PNR.
5. If one of the journey is partially cancelled, connected train ticket will be delinked automatically.
6. Seats under Tatkal (TQ)/ Premium Tatkal (PT) Foreign Tourist (FT) quota won't be available for booking using connecting journey scheme.
7. VIKALP option, in which a customer is provided seat in alternate train when accommodation  is not available in main train will not apply.
8. Only confirmed/ part confirmed tickets are eligible for linking.
9. Boarding point is not allowed to be changed.
10. If you are participating in any scheme of railway where points are accrued to get free journey in future, no points will be considered if you book a connecting journey ticket.

Your Responsibility as a Connecting Ticket Holder

1. You should not claim full refund if your main train reached on time and connecting train departed after the arrival of main train.
2. You should submit ticket for refund within 3 hrs if your train is missed for full refund.
3. You cannot claim full refund if both trains got delayed, but the connecting train departed after the arrival of main train.
4. In any of the cases above, if you do not want to carry on your journey in connecting train, for any reason, you can cancel your ticket. In such case refund will be granted as per existing railway rules after levying all applicable charges.
5. If your main train is cancelled, diverted, or you are allotted a seat in lower class of travel and you don't want to travel, you can claim refund for entire journey in full as per railways cancellation and refund policy.