IRCTC app crashes during AC Tatkal

Indian Railways users reported fresh booking problems on May 22 as the IRCTC app and website appeared to falter during the 10 a.m. AC Tatkal window. Posts on X described failed logins, repeated refreshes and stalled transactions just as passengers tried to secure last-minute reserved tickets. IRCTC’s official Tatkal guidance says AC-class bookings open at 10 a.m., making that window one of the busiest points in the daily reservation cycle. ### Why were so many users trying to book at exactly 10 a.m.? IRCTC’s official Tatkal FAQ says AC-class Tatkal booking starts at 10:00 a.m. one day before the date of journey, excluding the day of travel. The same official guidance says non-AC Tatkal opens at 11:00 a.m., splitting demand into two peak windows on the reservation system. Tatkal is Indian Railways’ last-minute quota, and IRCTC’s user guide says bookings are first-come, first-served and limited to a maximum of four passengers per PNR for Tatkal e-tickets. (contents.irctc.co.in) That structure turns the opening minute into a race for inventory, especially on heavily used routes and during student or holiday travel periods. ### What did passengers say went wrong on May 22? (contents.irctc.co.in) X users on May 22 said the IRCTC app and website either froze or forced repeated refreshes during the AC Tatkal window, according to the social briefing provided for this story. One cited post from user @AryanJ46 complained that AC Tatkal booking attempts failed after long waits, echoing broader complaints from travelers who said they could not complete ticket purchases. (contents.irctc.co.in) Downdetector’s India page for IRCTC showed user reports tied to the service on May 22, with complaints categorized across the app, ticketing and breakdowns. The outage tracker’s page also said it was not showing a current broad-based problem at the time it was crawled, which suggests at minimum that user complaints were concentrated around the booking window rather than an all-day shutdown. That is an inference based on the timing of user reports and the tracker snapshot. (indianrail.gov.in) ### Is this the first time Tatkal users have reported this kind of problem? NDTV reported in April that IRCTC users had described similar Tatkal-window disruptions, including buffering, app and website crashes, payment delays and tickets moving quickly to waitlist or “REGRET” status. That report concerned a non-AC Tatkal window at 11 a.m., but the pattern of complaints resembled the May 22 posts about the AC opening slot. (downdetector.in) India Today reported on May 21 that Indian Railways and IRCTC had rolled out an AI-based ticketing and scheduling upgrade ahead of the summer rush, including anti-bot checks tied to Tatkal booking. The report did not say the upgrade caused the May 22 complaints, but it places the latest user frustration against the backdrop of a system that was being updated as seasonal demand increased. (ndtv.com) ### What can users verify on IRCTC’s own pages? IRCTC’s official help pages say Tatkal booking for AC classes opens at 10 a.m. and provide step-by-step booking instructions, including the Quick Book option after login. The company also maintains an eQuery portal for complaints and feedback related to reservations and services. The Indian Railways passenger enquiry system was live on May 22 and displayed current time-stamped service information for reservation enquiries. (indiatoday.in) That page is separate from the IRCTC booking flow, but it remained accessible when searched during reporting. May 22’s next scheduled Tatkal pressure point after the AC window was the 11 a.m. non-AC opening, according to IRCTC’s published timetable, and users seeking to escalate issues can use IRCTC’s eQuery complaint channel. (contents.irctc.co.in) (indianrail.gov.in)