The Indian Railways has announced a major change in the way passengers can book train tickets online. Starting from October 1, 2025, only passengers with Aadhaar-verified IRCTC accounts will be able to book general train tickets during the first 15 minutes of the booking window. This step is aimed at stopping fraudulent practices and ensuring that genuine passengers get a fair chance to book tickets, especially when demand is very high.
At present, this rule of Aadhaar verification applies only to Tatkal ticket bookings. But from October 1 onwards, it will be extended to general reservations as well. The decision comes after the Railway Board observed frequent misuse of online bookings during the early minutes of the reservation window.
The Indian Railways explained how this new booking rule will function. For example, suppose a passenger wants to book a ticket on the Shiv Ganga Express from New Delhi to Varanasi for November 15. The online booking window for this train will open at 12:20 AM on September 16, which is 60 days before the journey date.
Between 12:20 AM and 12:35 AM — the first 15 minutes of the booking window — only passengers who have Aadhaar-linked IRCTC accounts will be allowed to book tickets. Passengers who have not completed Aadhaar verification of their accounts will not be able to book tickets during this period. They will have to wait until after 12:35 AM to make a booking.
This short 15-minute window is extremely important because most tickets for popular trains get booked within this time. By restricting access to Aadhaar-verified users, Railways hopes to stop middlemen and touts from using fake or multiple accounts to block tickets in bulk. This step is expected to improve the chances for genuine travellers to get confirmed tickets.
Every year, millions of passengers in India face difficulty while trying to book train tickets online, especially during festival seasons and wedding times. During festivals like Diwali, Chhath Puja, Holi, and the wedding season, the demand for train tickets is extremely high. Passengers rush to book tickets the moment the reservation window opens, 60 days in advance.
This situation is very similar to Tatkal bookings, where tickets sell out within minutes. In many cases, touts or agents use unfair means to grab tickets in bulk and later sell them at a higher price. This creates frustration among ordinary travellers who are unable to secure tickets despite trying at midnight when bookings open.
By making Aadhaar verification compulsory for the first 15 minutes of general booking, Indian Railways aims to make the process more transparent. Since Aadhaar is linked to each individual, it becomes difficult to create multiple fake accounts. This reduces the chances of misuse and ensures that tickets go to genuine passengers.
This new rule is not the first time Aadhaar verification has been linked with railway ticket bookings. In July 2025, the Railways made it mandatory for all passengers to have Aadhaar-verified IRCTC accounts if they wanted to book Tatkal tickets. Those who did not link their Aadhaar were not allowed to book Tatkal tickets online, whether through the IRCTC website or the mobile app.
That step helped reduce large-scale misuse in the Tatkal system. Encouraged by its success, the Railway Board has now decided to extend the same rule to general bookings for the first 15 minutes after the reservation window opens.
Passengers who have not yet linked their Aadhaar numbers with their IRCTC accounts should do so immediately to avoid problems in October. Linking Aadhaar is a simple online process available in the account settings of the IRCTC website and app. Once verified, the account becomes Aadhaar-authenticated, giving the user priority access during critical booking windows.
The general booking window on IRCTC runs daily from 12:20 AM to 11:45 PM, with reservations opening 60 days before the date of travel. From October 1, during the first 15 minutes of this window, only Aadhaar-verified accounts will be allowed to make bookings. After that period, even non-verified users will be able to book tickets, but by then, most of the high-demand tickets may already be gone.
Railways has advised passengers not to wait until the last moment. Completing Aadhaar verification well in advance will help avoid any inconvenience, especially for those planning to travel during festive or wedding seasons.
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The Indian Railways serves millions of passengers every day, making it one of the largest rail networks in the world. Managing online bookings for such a large population is always a challenge, particularly during peak demand times. The new Aadhaar-based rule is part of the Railways’ continuous effort to make the system more fair, efficient, and secure.
By cutting down on fraudulent practices, the Railways is hoping to restore confidence among passengers who often feel disappointed when they fail to get tickets despite logging in right when the booking window opens. The step is also in line with the government’s larger plan to link Aadhaar with key public services to ensure transparency and accountability.
With this new rule, genuine travellers are expected to get a better chance at securing confirmed tickets, while touts and fake accounts will find it harder to manipulate the system.
From October 1, 2025, booking a general reservation ticket online during the first 15 minutes of the booking window will require Aadhaar verification of the passenger’s IRCTC account. While some may find this an extra step, it is a necessary measure to stop unfair practices and make ticket booking more transparent.
Passengers are strongly encouraged to complete Aadhaar verification of their accounts as early as possible to ensure smooth bookings. With festival and wedding seasons approaching, this rule could prove to be a major relief for millions of genuine passengers across the country.
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