Indian Railways: To provide relief to passengers, the Indian Railways is considering extending the deadline for changing boarding stations. Currently, passengers can only change their boarding points until the preparation of the first reservation chart, which is typically prepared 10–20 hours before a train's departure. After that, no changes are possible. However, the Railways is now considering extending this facility until the preparation of the second reservation chart, allowing passengers to change their boarding station until just before the train's departure, from 30 to 5 minutes for some trains, and up to 15 minutes for premium trains like the Vande Bharat.

What will be the new change?

The Railway Board has proposed a new proposal to allow passengers to change their boarding station even after the first reservation chart is prepared. Under this, the option to change boarding points will be available until the preparation of the second reservation chart, making the process easier for passengers. This change has been suggested because the first reservation chart is now prepared well in advance of a train's departure. Once this new proposal is implemented, passengers will be able to change their boarding station from just 30 minutes to 5 minutes before the train's departure. In premium trains like Vande Bharat, this change will be possible up to 15 minutes before the train's departure. This facility will make their journey more convenient.

Convenience for Passengers

This proposal will benefit passengers in several ways. First, if their travel plans suddenly change, passengers will be able to easily change their boarding station, eliminating the need to cancel their ticket. This will make travel even more convenient. In its letter dated February 19, 2026, the Railway Board stated that this proposal is an extension of the 2019 Commercial Circular (CC 17), which allowed passengers who purchased tickets from one station but wished to board the train from another station along the route to change their boarding point. However, this facility was currently limited to the preparation of the first reservation chart only.

CRIS will examine the technical feasibility.

The Railway Board has asked CRIS (Center for Railway Information Systems) to examine the technical feasibility of the new proposal before proceeding further. The Railways have directed that CRIS evaluate the technical feasibility of the proposal and submit its report as soon as possible. A final decision will be made only after reviewing the CRIS report. If CRIS deems it technically feasible and the proposal is approved, the new system could be implemented soon.

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