“Regret” is a status message shown during IRCTC train ticket booking when no more tickets are available—this includes confirmed seats, RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation), and waitlisted tickets.
It means the booking system has stopped taking new requests because all quotas and limits have been filled.
Why Does “Regret” Occur?
- All Seats Sold Out: Every seat or berth in that train class is booked.
- RAC Limit Reached: The maximum number of RAC tickets has been issued.
- Waitlist Quota Full: The waitlist has reached its limit, and no more waitlisted tickets can be given.
- High Demand Dates: Common during festivals, holidays, or weekends when demand is very high.
What Does It Mean for Passengers?
If you see “Regret” status:
- You cannot book any ticket—confirmed, RAC, or waitlisted—for that train and date.
- You must look for other travel options such as:
- Booking another train or changing the date.
- Using the Vikalp scheme (if you already have a waitlisted ticket).
- Hoping for cancellations (though rare in peak seasons).
- At ticket counters, “NR” (No Room) may be shown, which means the same as “Regret”.
Example of “Regret” Status
If a train has 50 RAC and 100 waitlist tickets allowed after confirmed berths are sold out, and all of these are booked, the system will show “Regret.”
This means you cannot get a ticket for that train on that date—online or at the counter.
Can “Regret” Change Later?
Sometimes, if a lot of confirmed tickets are cancelled, “Regret” may be lifted, and new tickets (usually waitlisted) may become available. However, during busy travel periods, this is very rare.