New IRCTC Rule from Oct 1, 2025 — Blog Post
Headline: Indian Railways makes Aadhaar mandatory for first-15-minute online bookings from October 1, 2025
Intro (lead): Indian Railways has announced a major change to online reserved-ticket bookings. From October 1, 2025, passengers who try to book general reserved tickets during the first 15 minutes after the booking window opens on the IRCTC website or mobile app will be required to complete Aadhaar authentication. The step is aimed at curbing misuse of the reservation system and giving genuine passengers fairer access.
What changes and who it affects:
- Online (IRCTC website & app): For the first 15 minutes after the reservation window opens, online bookings for general reserved tickets will only be processed after Aadhaar verification. Without Aadhaar authentication, users will not be able to complete bookings in this 15-minute slot.
- Railway counters (PRS): No change — booking timings and the PRS process remain the same.
- Authorised ticketing agents: The existing rule barring authorised agents from booking opening-day reserved tickets during the first 10 minutes will continue.
Why the change is being made: Officials say the measure is intended to stop unfair practices and automated or proxy bookings that block tickets for genuine travellers. By requiring Aadhaar authentication during the initial 15 minutes, the railways hope to increase transparency and prioritise real passengers.
How implementation will be handled: The Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) and IRCTC have been asked to update their systems ahead of the October 1 deadline. Zonal Railways will issue passenger-facing guidelines and awareness notices to ensure a smooth rollout.
What passengers should do:
- If you plan to book online right when the window opens, make sure your IRCTC account is linked with your Aadhaar and that you are ready to complete Aadhaar authentication.
- If you prefer counter bookings, continue to use PRS counters — their process and timings are unchanged.
Quick summary (TL;DR): From Oct 1, 2025, online general reserved bookings made during the first 15 minutes of the opening window on IRCTC require Aadhaar authentication. Counter bookings unaffected; agent restriction of first 10 minutes remains.
