IRCTC Website and App Go Down Ahead of Diwali Tatkal Booking on October 17

October 17, 2025

New Delhi: The IRCTC website and mobile app went down today, October 17th, ahead of Diwali. People were unable to book train tickets starting at 9 am. Other IRCTC services were also experiencing problems.

According to outage tracking platform Down Detector, people started reporting site and app outages around 9:00 a.m. By 11:00 a.m., nearly 6,000 people had reported them.

According to Down Detector, 49% of people complained about the website, 37% about the app, and 14% about ticket purchases at the station. Users are also expressing their displeasure on social media. Meanwhile, IRCTC officials have stated that the site and app are down due to technical reasons.

IRCTC goes down before Tatkal booking time

The Tatkal ticket booking time for AC class on IRCTC is 10 am, while the Tatkal ticket booking time for sleeper class is 11 am.

IRCTC’s ticketing platform went down before Tatkal bookings opened. People booking through the Tatkal quota for Dhanteras today faced difficulties. IRCTC sells approximately 1.25 million tickets daily.

What to do if the IRCTC website is down

If the IRCTC website is down, users can call the customer care numbers 14646, 08044647999, and 08035734999. They can also report their concerns via email at [email protected]. If urgent, they can book tickets at the counter.

Online Railway Ticket Booking Process

Step 1: Create an IRCTC account (if you don’t already have one)

Open the IRCTC website (www.irctc.co.in) or app.
Click on the “Register” button on the homepage.
Enter details: Name, Mobile Number, Email, Password, Security Question.
OTP will be sent to your mobile and email address – verify it.
Submit. Your account will be activated.

Step 2: Login

Click on “Login” on the website/app.
Enter username (email or ID) and password.
Solve the captcha and login.

Step 3: Search for a train

After login, go to “Plan My Travel” or “Book Ticket” section.
Boarding station, destination station, journey date and AC 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Sleeper
Click “Submit.” A list of available trains will appear.

Step 4: Select the train and start booking

Select your desired train from the list (check train number, departure time, availability).
Click on the “Book Now” button.
Confirm: Train details, Class, Quota (General/ Tatkal/ Ladies) are correct or not.

Step 5: Enter passenger details