AVOID TATKAL BOOKINGS
1)
GO FOR GENERAL QUOTA:
Tickets
to your destination will be waitlisted. However, the next major station may
fall under General quota.
Example,
in Nellai express your Madurai quota will be waitlisted but tickets will be
available upto Kovilpatti. You can alaways book upto Kovilpatti and get down at
Madurai. You pay Rs.20 extra per passenger, but this is still a very nominal
sum as compared to tatkal charges.
In
return cases, you can book tickets in general quota source station and select
the boarding point at your chosen station. For example, in Mannai Exp, book
from Nidamangalam to Chennai and choose boarding station as Kumbakonam.
Some
trains and their Open Quota stations are:
Destination
|
Train
|
General quota station
|
Tiruchy
Madurai
Karaikudi
Kumbakonam, Thanjavur
Bangalore
Palakkad
Ernakulam
|
Rameswaram Exp
Silambu Exp
Nellai Exp
Pothigai Exp
Muthunagar Exp
Ananthapuri Exp
Sethu Exp
Rameswaram Exp
Mannai Exp
Rameswaram Exp
Kaveri Exp
Mysore Exp
Aleppy Exp
Trivandrum Mail
|
Pudukkottai
Kovilpatti
Tituttangal
Tirumangalam
Tirunelveli
Paramakudi
Egmore to Karaikudi
Nidamangalam
Pudukkottai
Mandya
Kengeri
Trichur
Kottayam
|
Not
only on these trains, but all trains have general quota stations. If you need
to go to Pune from Chennai, choose Kalyan junction instead of Pune. Your
tickets will be at General quota instead of Pooled quota.
2)
SELECT WEEKLY TRAINS:
Most
commoners are not aware of weekly trains. So these trains do not get filled up
as fast as a regular train.
For
example, Pandian Exp is filled up faster than Madurai Exp (via Thanjavur). So
go for these weekly trains by listing the available trains on your travel date:
Few
weekly trains are given below:
Destination
|
Train
|
Days of operation
|
Tiruchy
Madurai
Karaikudi
Kumbakonam, Thanjavur
Bangalore
|
Madurai Exp (22623)
Silambu Exp
Madurai Exp (22623)
Nagercoil Exp (2667)
Silambu Exp
Madurai Exp(22623)
Mysore Exp
Sai Prasanthi Exp
|
Fri, Sun
Wed, Sat
Fri,Sun
Thu
Wed, Sat
Fri, Sun
Thursday
Friday
|