The Ultimate Guide to Automating IRCTC Ticket Booking: Tools, Scripts, and Pro Tips
Booking train tickets on IRCTC can be a race against time, especially for Tatkal and Premium Tatkal bookings. Manual booking is slow, and tickets often disappear within seconds. Automation can help you secure tickets faster by eliminating delays in form filling, refreshing, and payment processing.
In this detailed guide, we’ll explore:
- Key IRCTC Tatkal Automation Tools
- Best automation tools & browser extensions
- Python scripts using Selenium for auto-booking
- Third-party apps with auto-booking features
- How to handle CAPTCHA & avoid bans
- Pro tips for higher success rates
Starting July 1, 2025, Indian Railways has implemented stricter verification for Tatkal bookings. Users must authenticate their accounts using Aadhaar or DigiLocker before booking Tatkal tickets 15. By mid-July 2025, OTP-based verification will also become mandatory to prevent misuse of automated tools 27.
Some third-party apps, like Quick Tatkal - Train Ticket v25.7.1, claim to automate Tatkal bookings by auto-filling captchas, passenger details, and payment info using AccessibilityService API 4.
These tools may violate IRCTC’s terms of service, and accounts using them risk being blocked or flagged as suspicious (over 2 million accounts are already under investigation) 5.
Note: The official RailOne app (launched July 1, 2025) does not support automation—it only allows verified users to book Tatkal tickets manually 37.
MoMoProxy: The Ultimate Solution for Bypassing IRCTC Restrictions
Struggling with IRCTC’s strict rate limits and IP bans? MoMoProxy offers a powerful workaround with its 150 million+ rotating residential proxies, ensuring seamless and undetectable access for high-demand ticket bookings.
Why Choose MoMoProxy?
- Massive IP Pool – Rotate through 150 million+ residential IPs to avoid bans and prevent account suspensions.
- Stealthy Multi-Session Access – 99.64% success rate for bookings, thanks to IRCTC-undetectable proxy routing.
- Reliable Performance – Optimized proxies minimize detection, keeping your sessions active and secure.
Considerations
- Payment Blocks – Some banks may flag proxy transactions as suspicious, leading to payment failures.
- Speed Not Guaranteed – While proxies help bypass restrictions, Tatkal bookings still depend on timing and luck.
For a smoother, higher-chance IRCTC booking experience, try MoMoProxy Today!
Previously, tools like IRCTC-tatkal_booking used Selenium to automate login, form filling, and payment steps 6. With the new Aadhaar/OTP requirements, such scripts are no longer effective unless they bypass authentication, which could lead to legal issues
IRCTC’s Terms of Service prohibit unauthorized bots, but some automation is allowed if:
- You manually solve CAPTCHAs (no full automation).
- You don’t make too many rapid requests (to avoid bot detection).
- You use trusted third-party apps (like ConfirmTkt, RailYatri).
Warning: Fully automated bots (without CAPTCHA solving) can get your account blocked.
These tools auto-fill details but still require manual intervention for CAPTCHA.
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How it Works: Saves passenger & payment details for quick form filling.
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Steps:
- Install from Chrome Web Store.
- Enter passenger, train, and payment details.
- On booking day, it auto-fills forms in seconds.
Pros: Free, no coding needed. Cons: Doesn’t bypass CAPTCHA or auto-submit.
- Use "Super Auto Refresh" (Chrome extension) to reload the booking page.
- Pair with a form-filling extension for faster input.
If you know basic Python, you can create a semi-automated booking bot.
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Log in to IRCTC
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Search trains
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Auto-fill details
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Pause for CAPTCHA (manual input)
- Pros: Highly customizable, works even if IRCTC changes UI.
- Cons: Needs coding knowledge; CAPTCHA requires manual input.
Some apps legally integrate with IRCTC to speed up bookings.
- Automatically retries if booking fails.
- Suggests alternate trains.
- Sends instant alerts for Tatkal openings.
- One-click booking with saved details.
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Saves payment details for quicker bookings.
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Pros: No coding, easy to use.
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Cons: May charge convenience fees.
Since IRCTC requires manual CAPTCHA solving, here are some workarounds:
- Use OCR Tools (Like Tesseract) – Low success rate.
- Manual Entry (Best Option) – Script pauses for you to enter CAPTCHA.
- CAPTCHA Solving Services (Not Recommended) – Risky & against IRCTC rules.
- Login 10-15 mins before booking opens (IRCTC may log you out).
- Use a high-speed internet connection (Jio Fiber/Airtel 5G).
- Pre-select payment method (UPI is fastest).
- Avoid multiple tabs (IRCTC may block you).
- Try "Book Only If Available" (BOIA) trick – Reduces payment failures.
Method | Ease of Use | Success Rate | Risk |
---|---|---|---|
Browser Extensions | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | Low |
Python + Selenium | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Medium |
Third-Party Apps | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | Low |
- For non-tech users: Use ConfirmTkt/RailYatri.
- For tech-savvy users: Try Python + Selenium.
- For fastest form filling: Use IRCTC Auto Fill Extension.
Automating IRCTC bookings can save time and increase success rates, but always follow IRCTC’s rules to avoid bans. For best results, combine Selenium automation with manual CAPTCHA solving or use trusted third-party apps.