Use the booking’s change option
Open the ticket in the account used to book it and look for the boarding-point change option. Select an offered station and confirm the change. A station written in your personal notes, cab booking or RailQ search does not change the railway reservation. Reopen the booking afterward to verify the recorded boarding point.
What changed in 2026?
The Ministry’s 24 March 2026 announcement describes digital changes up to 30 minutes before departure from the train’s origin. IRCTC’s older public help page still mentions 24 hours. Do not calculate the window from a later intermediate stop. Make the change early and seek official assistance if your booking does not offer the announced facility.
Before pressing confirm
Compare the new stop with the timetable, boarding date and time. Check whether your companions are on the same booking and read the confirmation screen carefully to understand whom the change affects. Save the revised record privately and replace old pickup instructions. Do not leave different members of the group working from different versions of the ticket.
Why might the option be missing?
Older IRCTC conditions exclude current-booking tickets, VIKALP PNRs, seized tickets and online changes to I-tickets. Do not infer eligibility from the announcement alone. Report the ticket type and missing option to the official booking service without sharing account credentials. Repeatedly trying different stations is not a substitute for confirming eligibility.
Can you still board at the old station?
IRCTC states that changing the boarding point removes the right to board from the original point; travelling that earlier segment without authority can attract fare and penalty. Follow the revised reservation. Do not treat a change as permission to board at any convenient station, and never chase a departing train because an online edit is still pending.