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Dynamic Pricing

Airfares fluctuate with demand, the Premium Tatkal is its Indian Railways adaptation, they call it the dynamic fare pricing.

The main difference of Premium Tatkal scheme, with all other ticketing including the regular Tatkal tickets, is the dynamic nature of ticket cost. Price of Premium Tatkal tickets increase as the demand increases, especially towards the fag end of the reservation period. If there is no demand, the price of the Premium Tatkal would be comparable with the Tatkal fares.

The market decides the price of the Premium Tatkal quota tickets. Railways has their own mechanism of pricing based on the seasons' demand, unlike the predefined fares for other tickets.

Sometimes you may end up in paying a higher for a Premium Tatkal ticket for a lower class, compared to a regular higher class ticket fares.

To begin with, the Premium Tatkal system is introduced in a few popular trains on an experimental basis. It can swing either way in future, more trains will come under this scheme (more likely) or the scheme can get abandoned (less likely) based on the response.

So how many seats are under Premium Tatkal scheme? Currently it's a portion of the regular Tatkal tickets that's converted into Premium Tatkal tickets.

The reservation period for Premium Tatkal is same as the regular Tatkal tickets.So are most of other rules. No cancellation (refund) once booked. And of course only confirmed tickets are booked under PT quota, means you can not get a RAC/WL ticket under this scheme.

There is no child fare or any other concession fares applicable. Everyone pays the same dynamic fare.

Booking Premium Tatkal Tickets
So how you book Premium Tatkal? You can do it the same way any ticket is booked on the IRCTC website (www.irctc.co.in). You cannot book the Premium Tatkal tickets through other private portals (like the Cleartrip, Makemytrip etc). Not even at the railways reservation counters.

In other words, the Premium Tatkal tickets are available only as e-tickets at www.irctc.co.in.

Also note you can not cancel Premium Tatkal Tickets. No concession fares applied to Premium Tatkal. Child passengers charged full fare.

Premium Tatkal Tickets, is it worth the price
What are the benefits? The first benefit is for the Indian Railways of course. The higher seasonal demand, fetches better revenue. According to Railways, this eliminate the 'tickets touts' who black-market tickets at exorbitant prices during the peak seasons.

As a customer, you always have a higher chance of a ticket available at the railways reservation systems itself, albeit it's at a premium fare.

That's, you don't have to travel illegal on an exorbitantly higher priced ticket bought from a tout, when you can buy a ticket online, at the last minute. That's at a Premium Tatkal price!

So, what is the moral of the whole dynamic fare thing...Plan your train travel early. Reserve your regular priced seats well in advance. Save money!

In case you could not, check out that latest Premium Tatkal price, if available and affordable book it even at the last minute!

You may be interested in the tips to book tickets faster online at the irctc website. Some preparation can help you to avoid fumbling and mistakes, that make or break your opportunity to book the Tatkal and Premium Tatkal tickets period opens.