The IRCTC Agent Login Interface, Explained

You’ve got your agent ID. Now you go online and search for “IRCTC agent login” or “IRCTC agent interface,” expecting a special portal. What comes up is a mix of pages, and some of them aren’t IRCTC at all.

Here’s the thing most new agents don’t hear at the start: there is no separate agent website. You use IRCTC’s own site, the same one your customers use. It just looks a bit different once you sign in with an agent ID instead of a personal account. Searching for an “agent portal” is exactly how people end up on sites that aren’t IRCTC, so let’s clear it up.

Where do agents sign in?

You book on IRCTC’s own website. The login link depends on your login type. OTP login and DSC login (Class 3 digital signature certificate) each have their own IRCTC link. As of 12 October 2026, on SiOnline’s published pages, they are:

• OTP login: https://www.ics.irctc.co.in/eticket/train-search
• DSC login: https://www.irctc.co.in/eticket/train-search

Both are also listed, with buttons, on the agent login page. SiOnline currently directs its agents to these website links and does not support app login for its agent setup. IRCTC’s 2020 integration policy mentions Rail Connect for some Internet Cafe Scheme agents, so check with your provider before assuming the same rule applies to every agent ID.

Check the address before you type anything into the page. If a site that isn’t IRCTC’s own is asking for your agent credentials, stop. No provider needs your IRCTC password, including us, and no legitimate service asks for it. If someone says they need your password to “set up” or “fix” your login, that’s your cue to end the conversation.

What looks different in the agent view?

A few things change once you’re signed in as an agent. Some you’ll notice straight away, and some only when a customer asks.

• The agent charge. As of 11 October 2026, on SiOnline’s published figures, agents collect a fixed ₹20 (non-AC) or ₹40 (AC) per PNR from the customer, and it’s printed on the ticket. IRCTC doesn’t allow any extra charge on top. A personal account has no equivalent.
• The Tatkal block. The announcement published by PIB (release 2135694, 11 June 2025) says agents may not book opening-day Tatkal tickets in the first 30 minutes: 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM for AC classes and 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM for non-AC classes (PIB). Your customers can book before you can. That feels odd the first time it happens, so tell them in advance.
• No monthly cap on the agent ID, subject to IRCTC’s Tatkal rules. This is SiOnline’s published position.
• Seat availability. What an agent sees is the same availability a personal user or a railway counter sees. The agent view doesn’t open a separate pool of seats.

For the Tatkal timings in more detail, see the agent Tatkal timings post.

Why can’t you just use your own personal IRCTC account?

Because IRCTC’s policy doesn’t allow it. IRCTC’s Revised Agent Policy (effective 29 November 2019, Agent_Policy.pdf) prohibits booking customer tickets on personal IDs. The agent ID exists for this work. IRCTC issues it in the agent’s business name, and registration runs through a Principal Service Provider (PSP).

That’s also why the two views differ. The agent charge, the Tatkal block and the bookings you make for others all belong to the agent side. Keep your personal account for your own travel.

How does each login type work?

DSC login. A Class 3 digital signature certificate on a USB token is used with the DSC login link. If the token isn’t detected, reseat it and reopen the browser.

OTP login. There’s no token. Each session is authorised by a one-time password sent to the mobile number registered against the agent ID. That number has to be current, which is why changing it is a process rather than a setting. Our guide to changing the OTP mobile number covers that change for agent IDs.

On SiOnline’s current terms (as of 11 October 2026), an OTP login is valid for 1 year and a DSC for 2 years, and the two use different login links. A Class 3 DSC is optional on SiOnline’s current terms. So if you’re not sure which one your ID uses, ask your provider and use the matching link above.

One more detail that catches people out. For Tatkal bookings made through authorised agents, the PIB release says an OTP is sent to the mobile number the customer gives at the time of booking, from 15 July 2025. That’s the customer-side OTP for the booking. It isn’t the same thing as your own login OTP. Don’t mix them up when you’re explaining it.

What does a first sign-in look like, step by step?

Nothing here is complicated, but doing it in the same order each time saves you from silly mistakes.

1. Get ready. Keep your agent ID with you, along with the phone that has your registered mobile number. If you use a DSC, keep the token with you too.
2. Open your own bookmark. Use the saved IRCTC login link for your login type, not a search result or an advert.
3. Check the address. It should match the OTP or DSC link above before you type anything.
4. Sign in with your agent ID and follow the OTP or DSC step on screen.
5. Look around before you book. Spend a minute finding the search and booking screens when no customer is waiting. It’s much easier to learn the layout at a quiet time than with a queue behind you.

If anything on screen looks wrong, such as an unexpected page, a request you don’t recognise or a message asking for your password again, close it and start again from your bookmark.

What else is different from a personal account?

Two more things set an agent ID apart, and both matter when a customer asks “are you allowed to do this?”

First, authorisation. A personal ID has no authorisation certificate, while an agent does. Under IRCTC’s Revised Agent Policy, the provider issues a Certificate of Authorisation that is displayed at the outlet.

Second, record keeping. The same policy asks the agent to keep the customer’s written or electronic request and a copy of their ID proof for six months. It’s a good habit to build from your first booking.

Why does a bookmarked agent page stop working?

It’s a very common thing to do. People bookmark the post-login screen, because that’s where they spend their time. A signed-in view sits behind authentication. So the next day the bookmark takes you to a login prompt instead, and it looks like a broken link.

The fix is simple. Bookmark the IRCTC login link for your login type (they’re listed on the agent login page) and sign in from there each time. It costs you one extra click, and it never breaks.

Don’t save your agent password in a shared computer’s browser either. If staff or customers use that machine, treat anything saved on it as visible to them.

What if you can’t get in?

Work down this list before you decide the account is at fault:

1. Is the ID actually activated? Ask your provider.
2. Is the token recognised on this machine? Not the last machine, this one.
3. Is the registered mobile still yours? The OTP goes there, not to your personal account.
4. Are colleagues also locked out? If so, it may not be your ID.

When you contact support, tell them exactly what you see: the login link you used, the message on the screen and what you tried already. A screenshot with customer details hidden helps. If your ID is with SiOnline, you can call or WhatsApp +91 91091 35959, which is answered 24 hours, 7 days. Send your agent ID. Never send a password or an OTP to support, to a friend or to anyone claiming to help.

The agent login page covers each error in more detail.

What if you haven’t registered yet?

Then you can’t sign in anywhere yet, and that’s normal. IRCTC doesn’t register a new retail e-ticketing agent directly. Registration runs through an authorised Principal Service Provider, and you can check who is on that register before choosing one. Look for the provider’s name on IRCTC’s own list rather than taking a claim on someone’s website or a social media post.

When you’re ready to start, the registration page explains how SiOnline handles it, and the registration fees page lists what the agent ID costs.

Common questions

Is there an IRCTC agent app? SiOnline currently directs its agents to IRCTC’s website, using the link for their login type. If your ID is with another provider, ask that provider which channel is enabled; IRCTC’s 2020 policy also describes an app route for some agents.

Is the agent interface a different website from the one my customers use? No. It’s the same IRCTC site. The view changes because you signed in with an agent ID.

Where do I log in if I use OTP, and where if I use a DSC? They’re different links, listed above and on the agent login page. Use the one that matches your login type.

Can I give my login to a colleague so they can book? Don’t. Read our guide on whether two people can use one agent ID before you try anything like it.

A website asked for my IRCTC password to “link” my agent account. Is that normal? No. Stop and close the page. Only IRCTC’s own login page should ever ask for your agent credentials.

Sources

• IRCTC, Revised Agent Policy, effective 29 November 2019: Agent_Policy.pdf.
• Indian Railways announcement published by PIB, release 2135694, 11 June 2025: PIB release.
• SiOnline, agent login page, for the login links and current terms.