Indian Railways has launched a set of updated rules in July 2025, requiring Aadhaar verification for Tatkal bookings and adjusting fares and chart preparation to improve transparency and passenger services. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Indian Railways Tightens Tatkal Rules and Verifies Bookings

From July 1, passengers booking Tatkal tickets on IRCTC must authenticate their identity using Aadhaar. By July 15, OTP verification based on Aadhaar becomes mandatory to finalize online Tatkal bookings.

Indian Railways has implemented a new policy limiting waiting list tickets to 25% of total train berths to reduce overcrowding and simplify bookings.
Source, photo: www.dnaindia.com

Tatkal tickets purchased through PRS counters or agents will also require OTP verification from mid-July. Additionally, booking restrictions now apply to agents. AC ticket bookings are blocked from 10:00 to 10:30 AM, and non-AC bookings from 11:00 to 11:30 AM.

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Indian Railways Revises Fares and Adjusts Chart Preparation

Reservation charts will now be finalized 8 hours before departure. For trains leaving before 2 PM, the chart will be ready by 9 PM the previous day. This gives travelers more time to confirm or change plans.

Fare revisions also came into effect. Second Class fares on non-suburban trains increased by $0.06 to $0.18 for trips over 500 km. Sleeper and First Class fares rose by about $0.0006 per km. Mail and Express non-AC classes now cost $0.0012 more per km.

AC Chair Car, 3-Tier, 2-Tier, and Executive Class fares went up by $0.0024 per km. Despite these changes, reservation charges, surcharges, and GST rules remain unchanged, keeping pricing structures familiar for regular passengers.

To book Tatkal tickets, travelers must log in to their IRCTC profile, go to “My Account,” select “Authenticate User,” and complete Aadhaar verification. These reforms by Indian Railways aim to reduce misuse and ensure fairer access for all.

Source: urbanacres.in

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