Letter for Bulk Booking of Train Tickets
A request to the railway reservation office to book seats for a group together — the train, date, class, number of passengers and a contact.
Details
letter for bulk booking of train ticketsRed highlights mark what is still blank. Everything stays on this device.
Respected Sir / Madam,
We are planning [the purpose of the journey], and request you to reserve seats or berths for [number] passengers travelling together, as detailed below.
| Train | [train number and name] |
| From and to | [from and to] |
| Date of journey | [date] |
| Class | [class] |
| Passengers | [number] |
As the group must travel together, we request that the berths be allotted in the same coach as far as possible.
A full list of passengers with their names, ages and genders is attached.
We will pay the fare and any charges when the booking is confirmed, and will submit the reservation forms and the identity proof required for each passenger.
For any further information, please contact [contact person and phone].
Thanking you.
What is a Train Ticket Bulk Booking Letter?
A bulk booking letter asks a railway reservation office to book seats for a group travelling together: a school tour, a wedding party, a team going to a tournament, a company's staff. It names the train, date, class and number of passengers, attaches the passenger list and gives a contact. Without it, a group booked in small lots online can end up scattered across coaches, some confirmed and some waitlisted, with the organiser sorting it out on the platform.
Teachers organising educational tours, sports coaches, college clubs, pilgrimage groups, families travelling to a wedding and companies sending staff to a training programme all use it. Indian Railways handles group travel through party bookings at the station reservation office, where the application goes in with a passenger list and reservation forms. The letter is the covering request: it explains who the group is and what it needs, so the office can treat it as one booking. Groups large enough to fill a coach or a whole train can instead book at full tariff rate through IRCTC's FTR service.
The details are set by Indian Railways and can differ between zones and stations: which officer handles party bookings, which forms are needed, what must go with them and how far ahead you can apply. The limit on passengers per online ticket also changes from time to time, so check current Indian Railways and IRCTC rules rather than a number you remember. Concessions for groups such as students on educational tours have their own eligibility conditions and forms, also set by Indian Railways. Outside India, rail operators run their own group booking desks, usually through an online form rather than a letter.
The letter is a request, not a reservation. Nothing is booked until the office accepts it, allots berths and issues tickets, and the fare is paid as the office asks. It does not create a right to a concession, which depends on meeting Indian Railways' conditions and handing in the forms they require. It cannot guarantee that everyone sits together; it can only ask. And once tickets are issued, changes to names, numbers or dates follow the railway's own rules on cancellation and modification, not whatever the letter said.
What to put in a Train Ticket Bulk Booking Letter
These are the details this template asks for. Anything left blank is marked in red on the preview so you can see what is still missing.
| Field | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Your name or organisation | For example: Vidya Niketan High School |
| Address | For example: Arundelpet, Guntur 522002 |
| To | Or the Station Manager or Station Superintendent |
| Station | For example: Guntur Junction |
| Purpose of the journey | For example: an educational tour for students of class IX |
| Train number and name | For example: 17201 Golconda Express |
| From and to | For example: Guntur (GNT) to Secunderabad (SC) |
| Date of journey | Free text |
| Class | For example: Sleeper (SL) |
| Number of passengers | For example: 48 (44 students and 4 teachers) |
| Return journey optional | For example: 17202 Golconda Express, Secunderabad to Guntur, on 14 November 2026 |
| Passenger list optional | One per line: Name | Age | Gender — or attach the full list |
| Contact person and phone | For example: Mr. Kiran Kumar, +91 98480 11111 |
How to write a Train Ticket Bulk Booking Letter
Address the officer at the boarding station
Party bookings are usually handled at the reservation office of the station where the journey begins, by the Chief Reservation Supervisor or the Station Manager or Superintendent. Ask at the counter which post deals with them, then address the letter to that post and station — ‘The Chief Reservation Supervisor, Vijayawada Junction’, to take an example. If you write for a school, college or company, use its letterhead.
Say who is travelling and why
Open with the name of the group or organisation and the purpose of the journey: ‘an educational tour to Hyderabad for students of Class IX and their teachers’ tells the office far more than ‘a trip’. The purpose matters because some concessions depend on it, and because it explains why the group needs to travel together. Give the organisation's address for any reply.
Give the train, date, class and numbers
Write the train number and name, the boarding and destination stations, the date of journey and the class, such as Sleeper or AC 3-tier. Give the total number of passengers and a breakdown — adults and children, men and women — and note anyone who needs a lower berth or help because of age or disability. Offer a second-choice train in case the first is full.
Attach a passenger list that matches IDs
List every passenger with name, age and gender in a numbered table, with each name spelt exactly as on the photo identity that person will carry. Every passenger must carry valid photo ID during the journey, and a name on the ticket that does not match the card is trouble nobody wants at a ticket check. Attach the reservation forms the office asks for, filled in to match.
Add the return journey and a contact
If the group is coming back together, give the return train, date and class in the same letter so both legs can be arranged at once. Name one contact person with a mobile number who can answer the office's questions, collect the tickets and pay. Have the head of the institution sign where there is one, and keep a copy with the office's acknowledgment.
Common mistakes
- Sending the request to a general railway address instead of the reservation office at the boarding station, which loses days while berths are being sold.
- Listing names or ages that do not match the photo ID each traveller carries, which causes problems when tickets are checked on the train.
- Giving the train name without its number, or a wrong date, which leaves the office to guess or holds up the booking while it checks with you.
- Applying close to the travel date, when there may no longer be enough berths left to seat the group together.
- Assuming a student concession applies without checking Indian Railways' conditions and forms, which leaves the group paying full fare or short of paperwork at the counter.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write a letter for bulk booking of train tickets?
Address it to the officer who handles party bookings at the boarding station, usually the Chief Reservation Supervisor or the Station Manager. Say who the group is and why it is travelling, then give the train number and name, the stations, the date of journey, the class, the number of passengers and any return journey. Attach a passenger list with name, age and gender, add a contact person's phone number, and sign it.
How can I book train tickets for a large group?
Apply for a party booking at the reservation office of the station where the journey starts, with a covering letter, a passenger list and the reservation forms the office asks for. For a group big enough to fill a coach or a train, IRCTC's full tariff rate (FTR) service lets you book whole coaches or trains. Online tickets carry a limit on passengers per ticket that changes, so check the current rule first.
What is a party booking in Indian Railways?
It is a reservation for a group travelling together, made through the reservation office at a station rather than as separate individual tickets. The organiser applies, usually to the Chief Reservation Supervisor or Station Manager, with a list giving each passenger's name, age and gender, and the reservation forms required. The office then deals with the group as one booking, which gives it a better chance of travelling together.
Can students get a concession for an educational tour?
Indian Railways offers concessions to some groups, including students on educational tours, but who qualifies, the documents needed and the forms to use are set by Indian Railways and can change. Before applying, ask at the reservation office or check the current rules, and arrange any certificate the school must provide. Mention the concession in your letter, and do not count on it until the office confirms it applies.
Whom should I address a bulk booking letter to?
Address it to the officer who handles party bookings at the station where the journey starts — usually the Chief Reservation Supervisor, or the Station Manager or Station Superintendent. Titles and arrangements vary between stations, so ask at the reservation counter first. Write the post and the station name in full: ‘The Station Manager, Guntur Junction’, for example. Whole coaches or trains are booked through IRCTC's FTR service instead.
This page explains general practice and is not legal advice. Requirements differ between countries and, in some cases, between states — check what applies where the document will be used.