IRCTC boarding: If boarding station has been changed, passenger cannot board train from original station.

Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) - the online ticketing arm of Indian Railways - offers a variety of services to potential passengers. These include a facility that enables users to apply for a change given on the ticket, and one that enables change of boarding station. In case and individual wants to change boarding station ahead of the planned journey that can be done via logging into its website, according to IRCTC's website - irctc.co.in. IRCTC also allows changing passenger's name on the ticket and that can be done by approaching the nearest railway reservation office, as mentioned on the official website of IRCTC. (Also read: Know all about Indian Railways monthly season tickets for first, second class bookings)

Here are IRCTC guidelines for changing boarding station ahead of the journey:

Boarding station can be changed 24 hours before the journey and in case an individual cancels ticket after changing the boarding station within 24 hours of departure of train no refund shall be permissible, according to IRCTC website. However, if the train is running late by more than three hours, the train gets cancelled or non-attachment of coach then normal refund shall be permissible, IRCTC added.

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If the passenger has changed boarding station, he/she will lose all the rights to board the train from the original boarding station. If found travelling without any proper authority to travel, passenger will have to pay fare with penalty between original boarding station to changed boarding station, IRCTC said.

Boarding station change is not allowed if the ticket is seized and the service is also not allowed on tickets booked with VIKALP option.

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If boarding station has been changed at the time of booking, then passengers can change boarding station one more time from "Booked Ticket History" section, IRCTC said.

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Online boarding station change is not allowed for I-Ticket holders and the online facility is for only e-ticket holders.