By Kavita Mistry 
Festive season is on! And wedding season is around the corner!
Booking a Full Train or Coach for Weddings and Events
As this time approaches, many families are looking forward to booking an entire train or coach to transport the wedding procession from one city to another.
As compared to all other modes, trains happen to be the preferred choice due to comfort, safety and ability to accommodate larger number of people.
But let’s say one you want to book the entire train, then what? But, wait, what??
Yes, exactly! You can also book the whole train or entire coach!
But the catch here is that you cannot do it via the IRCTC website or app. Instead, you have to do that with a dedicated booking platform provided by the Indian Railways.
It is the IRCTC Full Tariff Rate (FTR) website https://www.ftr.irctc.co.in/ftr/ is the official platform to book full trains or individual coaches. To book, users must first create an account on the FTR website, log in, check the train options available, select the cities of travel, and proceed with payment.
In addition to the online option, passengers can also get details about charter train bookings at their nearest railway station.
Types of Bookings, Charges, and Restrictions
There are 3 types of bookings that the platform allows:
• Train Charters: Booking an entire train
• Coach Charters: Booking individual coaches
• Saloon Charters: Booking special saloon coaches
For each coach booking, a registration fee of Rs 50,000 has to be paid. Additional charges depend on the distance, number of halts, and type of service.
This is not applicable to all trains. The FTR website lists only mail/express and intercity trains, while premium trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, and Vande Bharat cannot be booked for private charters.
Moreover, train coach bookings are restricted during festive and peak seasons. According to IRCTC, bookings will not be available between:
• October 13, 2025: November 4, 2025 (Diwali period)
• February 25, 2026: March 11, 2026 (Holi period)
These restrictions ensure the availability of trains for regular passengers during festivals. Bookings are also restricted during the Diwali and Holi seasons.
Hope that helps!