Traveling in India by train is not very predictable, and it is worse when you have made a reservation and at the time of boarding you are on the waiting list.
However, did you know there is an easy way to be sure to have a confirmed seat? That is what the IRCTC Vikalp option is made for.
It allows the passengers to select another train so that they can get a guaranteed ticket without payment of any additional consequences.
The process is simple. You will get the option of selecting Vikalp when you reserve a ticket with a waitlist on the IRCTC web or app.
Here, you are letting IRCTC automatically put you in a seat in a different train along the same route in case your ticket does not get confirmed.
It means that you may take a train even when your first one is full and still have an opportunity to travel on the same day and on another train.
Among the key benefits of Vikalp, the fact that you do not have to pay any additional money to do the switch should be noted.
The fare will be retained as when you first made the booking. Additionally, the passengers are able to select more alternative trains or routes and enhance their chances even further.
It is, however, worth noticing that the option of the alternative train being provided means that once the alternative train is provided, there is no option to change that.
E.g., assuming that you booked a waitlisted sleeper class ticket between Delhi and Mumbai and that you choose Vikalp, IRCTC may transfer your reservation to a different train that will have seats available on the same route.
When it occurs, you will have a confirmation message and PNR update.
The feature is particularly effective when the travel is at its peak, such as festivals, holidays, and weekends, where there is a high demand for the trains.
Vikalp has helped many passengers to escape last minute cancellations and, at the same time, manage to travel with ease.
The recommendation made by IRCTC is to book Vikalp during the process of the booking and not when the chart is ready.
Early opt-ins are more successful because they provide the system with more scope in reassigning the seats in other trains.
As the process of train travel keeps growing digital, IRCTC has continued to integrate options such as Vikalp so as to enhance convenience for the passengers.
It is a tiny step that could help at least relieve travelers as well as possibly make sure that this long awaited trip does not get canceled at all.
The Vikalp feature is worth considering when you are on the waitlist every time you are using the train.
It is free, painless, and might be the solution to your waitlisted ticket having a confirmed one.
