Sat Jan 11 05:30:00 UTC 2025: ## IRCTC Website Crashes During Peak Booking Hours, Leaving Passengers Frustrated
**NEW DELHI** – The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) website and app experienced widespread outages during peak Tatkal booking hours on January 10th and 11th, leaving countless users unable to book train tickets. The disruptions, lasting for extended periods, sparked outrage on social media, with users reporting waits of up to half an hour just to load the website.
Frustrated passengers took to Twitter, tagging Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and criticizing the IRCTC platform as inefficient and unreliable. Many expressed their anger, describing the app as the “worst app ever used” and questioning India’s ability to manage its online ticketing system despite its technological advancements. One user shared a screenshot showing the app stuck on a loading page for 24 minutes.
The IRCTC website and app, essential not only for booking tickets but also for checking PNR status and other information, suffered from intermittent service interruptions throughout the period. Users attempting to access the site were met with messages indicating unavailability for up to an hour, adding to the frustration.
The outages coincided with periods of high demand, including the Tatkal booking system, causing significant inconvenience for travelers. The situation prompted a wave of memes and sarcastic comments online, highlighting the public’s dissatisfaction with the current state of the online ticketing system. One user jokingly urged the Railway Minister to focus on fixing the app and website before increasing train speeds. The incident underscores the need for significant improvements to the IRCTC platform’s infrastructure and stability to meet the demands of millions of users.
First Piper 