IRCTC faces a massive outage during Tatkal bookings, forcing passengers to use Paytm, ConfirmTkt, and RailYatri for tickets. Photo: X/@GauravPatel__01
IRCTC Outage: The IRCTC website and app experienced a major outage on Thursday, leaving thousands of passengers unable to book tickets for Diwali and Chhath Puja travel. The disruption has forced many to turn to third-party platforms like Paytm, ConfirmTkt, and RailYatri to secure their seats.
The outage began around the time Tatkal bookings opened for the busy festive period. With millions attempting to log in simultaneously, the IRCTC server became unresponsive, preventing users from accessing booking and cancellation services.
Website monitoring platform Downdetector recorded over 5,000 user complaints related to booking failures. Many frustrated users took to
As IRCTC works to fix the issue, RailYatri has emerged as a useful alternative. Beyond bookings, the platform offers live train tracking, seat map visualisation, and crowd analysis. In case the IRCTC outage persists, it also connects users to verified agents who can process bookings offline, ensuring that travel plans remain unaffected.
For passengers encountering waitlisted tickets, ConfirmTkt provides tools to identify alternative trains or predict confirmation chances. Designed to handle peak booking hours, the platform often suggests connecting routes to help travellers reach their destinations on time. Its smart waitlist prediction engine proves particularly valuable when IRCTC’s booking options are inaccessible.
Paytm is another platform available for booking train tickets during IRCTC downtimes. Available via app and website, Paytm allows users to check live train status, seat availability, and PNR confirmation.
For passengers whose payments were deducted during an unsuccessful booking, refunds are typically processed within 3–5 working days. Travellers are advised to monitor their email and SMS updates for confirmation messages once the IRCTC systems resume normal operations.
Although the IRCTC website and app remain down amid the festive booking surge, passengers do not have to cancel their travel plans. Trusted third-party platforms such as Paytm, ConfirmTkt, and RailYatri are offering legitimate and secure alternatives to book tickets online.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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