Indian Railways: significant change in online ticket booking from October 1

Indian Railways: The Indian Railways has announced a significant change to its online ticket booking system. Effective from October 1, 2025, a new rule will be implemented to curb misuse by unauthorized agents and ensure that genuine passengers get a fair chance to book tickets.

Here are the key changes in online ticket booking system:

Aadhaar Mandatory for Early Bookings: During the first 15 minutes of the opening of general reservation for any train, only users who have authenticated their IRCTC account with their Aadhaar number will be able to book reserved tickets online.

Applies to IRCTC Website and App: This rule change applies exclusively to online bookings made through the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) website and its mobile application.

Why the Change?

The new policy is a significant step to ensure that the reservation system benefits genuine users. For popular trains and routes, especially during festival and holiday seasons, tickets are often sold out within minutes of the booking window opening.

This is often due to the use of automated software and bulk bookings by agents. By making Aadhaar authentication mandatory for the initial 15-minute window, the Railways aim to:

Prevent misuse: Curb the fraudulent activities of touts and unauthorized agents.

Ensure fairness: Give individual passengers a better opportunity to secure confirmed tickets.

What Stays Unchanged?

Booking at PRS Counters: The new rule does not apply to bookings made at computerized Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters at railway stations. The timing and process for offline bookings remain unchanged.

Authorized Agents: The existing restriction on authorized ticketing agents will continue. Agents are still not allowed to book tickets during the first 10 minutes of the general reservation opening.

Tatkal Bookings: This is an extension of a similar rule already in place for Tatkal tickets, where Aadhaar authentication was made mandatory for online bookings from July 1, 2025.

If you plan to book train tickets online as soon as the reservation window opens (which is 120 days in advance for many trains), it is highly advisable to link your Aadhaar number to your IRCTC account before October 1 to avoid any issues.

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