The Indian Ministry of Railways has announced that new rules for Tatkal ticket booking will come into effect from July 1, 2025. The details regarding the changed rules were shared by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on June 10, 2025 - which featured the information regarding the changes and their impact on travelers.
According to certain reports, these changes will directly or indirectly impact the people with or without Aadhar - with a focus on preventing misuse by unauthorized agents and ensuring that the booking process is fair, transparent, and focused on genuine passengers.
The document authentication for online booking -
According to the latest update by the Railway Ministry, Tatkal tickets booked via the IRCTC application or website will be only for the users who have an authenticated Aadhaar. In simpler words, as per the new rule, people with Aadhaar are only allowed to proceed with Tatkal bookings via digital platforms.
Along with this, the users have to provide an OTP to verify the booking process, which means that another layer of authentication will be added starting July 15, 2025.
Restrictions to be faced by non-Aadhaar users
Following the implementation of the new rule, passengers without Aadhaar will not be able to book tickets digitally, but they can still book the tickets through Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters or via any authorized agents, including Yatri Ticket Suvidha Kendra, which is abbreviated as YTSK. However, this process will also require OTP verification via the respective phone number of the passengers.
The Ministry of Railways has announced that these new rules are aimed at tightening control over bookings and ensuring that there is no misuse by any unauthorized middlemen.
The third rule by the Ministry of Railways highlighted that the authorized travel agents would be able to book Tatkal tickets 30 minutes after the opening of the Tatkal booking window. This new rule is for both AC and non-AC classes.
As per the new rule, the agents can book the tickets for AC classes after 10:30 am. Tatkal ticket booking opens at 10 am, whereas for non-AC classes, the ticket booking will start after 11:30 am, and the window opens at 11 am.
Why were these new changes implemented?
According to certain reports, these new rules have been implemented following the growing concerns regarding the unverified and bulk booking of Tatkal tickets by agents.
What does it mean for you?
New Tatkal ticket rules imply stricter verification and a reduction in the loopholes in bookings. Since July 1, Tatkal tickets can be booked online only through the Aadhaar authentication of the user on IRCTC, and this is probably the most significant change here under the new rule.
Meanwhile, non-Aadhaar users can only use counters or authorized agents in booking Tatkal tickets. Also, agents will not be able to book in the initial 30 minutes of the Tatkal process, providing individual users a better opportunity. The changes are meant to check the excesses of touts and increase the chances of genuine passengers to Tatkal tickets.