From October 28, 2025, Indian Railways requires users to complete Aadhaar verification to book reserved train tickets online during peak morning hours. Between 8 AM and 10 AM, only Aadhaar-authenticated accounts can book tickets, a window that typically sees high demand for popular trains and aims to prevent fraudulent or multiple bookings.
Outside this two-hour period, users without Aadhaar can continue booking as usual. This new rule applies specifically to the first day of ticket reservation openings. Previously, Aadhaar verification was also made mandatory for booking Tatkal tickets online, with OTP authentication required for additional security.
Passengers who haven’t linked their Aadhaar to their IRCTC account can do so via the website or mobile app under “My Profile.” The process involves submitting your Aadhaar or Virtual ID, confirming your name, date of birth, and gender match your Aadhaar details, verifying via OTP sent to your registered mobile number, and submitting consent. Once completed, the account is successfully authenticated.
For general online ticket bookings, a similar rule applies: from October 1, 2025, the first 15 minutes of opening for reserved tickets are reserved for Aadhaar-authenticated users. This does not affect bookings made at PRS counters, which continue as usual.
Tatkal ticket bookings, both online and through PRS counters or authorised agents, now require OTP-based Aadhaar verification to ensure secure and legitimate ticket issuance.
