Starting July 1, 2025, passengers booking Tatkal train tickets through the IRCTC official website or mobile app will need to complete Aadhaar-based authentication.
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New Delhi: In a major development, the Indian Railways is starting major reforms from July 2025. With the introduction of these changes, genuine passengers will get fair access to Tatkal tickets, especially during travel periods where demand is high. The government is introducing new measures such as mandatory Aadhaar authentication and a restricted booking window for agents. Notably, these updated rules will be applicable to both online bookings via IRCTC and offline bookings through Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters.
Here are some of the key details:
- Passengers booking Tatkal train tickets via IRCTC official website or mobile app will be required to complete Aadhaar-based authentication starting July 1, 2025.
- Only users whose Aadhaar numbers are verified will be allowed to book Tatkal tickets online.
- Aadhaar-based OTP authentication will become mandatory for Tatkal bookings made online post 15th July 2025.
- Tatkal tickets purchased through authorized agents and at computerized Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters will need an OTP authentication
- The OTP will be sent to the user’s mobile number at the time of booking. This will be effective from July 15, 2025.
- Indian Railways has introduced a restriction on authorised ticketing agents.
- Starting soon, these agents will not be allowed to book Tatkal tickets during the first 30 minutes of the booking window on the day the Tatkal quota opens.
- For AC classes, agents cannot book Tatkal tickets between 10:00 AM and 10:30 AM.
- For non-AC classes, the restriction applies from 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM
To comply with the new rule, users need to link their Aadhaar with their IRCTC account and complete a one-time verification process. After successful authentication, the system will identify the Aadhaar-linked account for all future bookings.
