How to Set IRCTC Booking Reminders & What to Keep Ready Before Opening Time
Because high-demand Indian Railways trains fill their 60-day ARP quota within minutes of 08:00 AM IST (and Tatkal within seconds of 10:00 AM / 11:00 AM IST), you should schedule an alert 1 to 2 days ahead and log in to IRCTC 5 minutes before the window opens with your Passenger Master List and UPI ID pre-configured.
How to Set Booking Alerts on Rail.Yaar (Google Calendar, .ICS & Email)
Once you calculate your exact opening date on the Rail.Yaar Calculator, you have three ways to lock in a reminder so you never miss the 60-day or Tatkal window:
1. Google Calendar Event: Click 'Google Calendar' to create an event pre-set to 07:50 AM IST (10 minutes before the 08:00 AM ARP window, or 10 minutes before Tatkal) with your train number, boarding station code, and journey date.
2. Apple / Outlook Calendar (.ICS): Download the standard .ICS file with a built-in 15-minute VALARM notification.
3. Email Reminder (1 or 2 Days Prior): Enter your email address to receive an automated summary alert 1 or 2 days before your booking opening date.
Checklist: What to Have Ready 5 Minutes Before Booking Opens
• Verified IRCTC Account Credentials & Active Mobile OTP Access: Log in around 07:55 AM IST (for 8:00 AM ARP) or 09:56 AM IST (for 10:00 AM AC Tatkal) so your session is active when booking opens.
• IRCTC Passenger Master List: Pre-save passenger names, ages, gender, berth preferences, and senior citizen/ID details in your IRCTC profile ('My Profile > Master List') so you can populate passenger rows in one tap instead of typing at 08:00 AM.
• Fast Payment Method (UPI / IRCTC eWallet): UPI QR or VPA approval and IRCTC eWallet typically complete payment with fewer redirects than net-banking or multi-step card OTPs.
• Backup Train & Quota Option: Keep an alternate train number on the same corridor (or checked via the Rail.Yaar Route Checker) ready in case your primary class goes into Waiting List.