Starting October 1, 2025, Indian Railways will require Aadhaar authentication for booking reserved general train tickets online during the first 15 minutes after the reservation window opens. The new rule is aimed at preventing misuse of the ticketing system and ensuring that genuine passengers have fair access to tickets during the high-demand initial booking period.
Currently, Aadhaar authentication is mandatory only for Tatkal bookings. With the new measure, passengers booking general reserved tickets through the IRCTC website or mobile app must authenticate their identity using Aadhaar during the first 15 minutes. After this period, authorized ticket agents will be allowed to book tickets as per the existing process.
The policy applies solely to online bookings and does not affect the timings or procedures at computerized Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters. Furthermore, the existing rule restricting authorized ticket agents from booking opening-day tickets for the first 10 minutes will remain unchanged.
This initiative is part of Indian Railways’ broader effort to enhance transparency, curb fraudulent activities such as ticket hoarding and black marketing, and ensure that the benefits of the reservation system are available to genuine passengers. By making Aadhaar authentication compulsory during the initial booking window, the railway seeks to create a more secure and equitable ticketing system.
Passengers are advised to link their Aadhaar details to their IRCTC accounts before October 1 to avoid any inconvenience. This can be done through the IRCTC website or mobile app. With this step, Indian Railways aims to streamline bookings and protect users from exploitation while improving the integrity of its reservation system.
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