IRCTC Tatkal Booking Glitches Trigger Widespread Frustration Among Travelers Across India

Users reported that both the website and mobile application froze repeatedly, displaying persistent error messages while available seats disappeared within seconds. The technical failures affected passengers attempting to book tickets for time-sensitive travel plans, including examinations and other urgent commitments.

Booking tickets on IRCTC website is now no less than an exam.

Train seats are sold out within minutes, but the website gives up before that.

We are experiencing High Load – Please retry"

The traveler is fully prepared,
the money is ready, the journey is necessary,
but the… pic.twitter.com/9D7oDjBwaZ

— 𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐃 (@LegendX_001) May 30, 2026

One passenger trying to reserve a ticket from Kacheguda to KSR Bengaluru encountered continuous system retries that prevented the booking from being completed. Another traveler booking a journey from New Delhi to Pune successfully reached the payment stage but ultimately received a waitlisted ticket, while the payment amount remained blocked.

The disruptions triggered widespread frustration among users, many of whom expressed concern over failed transactions and the inability to obtain confirmed reservations despite accessing the platform during the designated booking period. Several passengers also raised suspicions regarding the possible involvement of automated bots or ticketing agents, despite measures introduced by the Railways, including Aadhaar-based verification and systems designed to block automated booking activity.

The latest disruption marks the third consecutive day of technical issues affecting Tatkal ticket bookings. The recurring problems have emerged amid peak booking demand, intensifying concerns among passengers who depend on the system for urgent travel arrangements.

The continued failures have once again highlighted the challenges faced by travelers during high-demand booking periods, raising questions about the platform's ability to handle peak traffic despite existing safeguards and verification mechanisms.