According to the new IRCTC rules, from tomorrow, January 5th, only users whose IRCTC accounts are Aadhaar-verified will be able to book tickets between 8 AM and 4 PM.

Millions of people travel by train every day in India.  If you are planning to book train tickets online, this is important news for you. IRCTC has implemented a major change in the rules for advance train ticket booking. Under the new rules, it may now be difficult to book reserved tickets during certain times without Aadhaar verification. This change has been specifically applied to reservation bookings that open 60 days in advance.

The new rule was implemented on January 5th

According to the new IRCTC rules, from January 5th, only users whose IRCTC accounts are Aadhaar-verified will be able to book tickets between 8 AM and 4 PM. Passengers whose Aadhaar is not yet linked or verified will not be able to book tickets during this time slot. Such users will only be allowed to make reservations after 4 PM. Previously, Aadhaar-verified users had the opportunity to book tickets from 8 AM to 12 PM. Later, this time was extended to 4 hours, but now it has been extended to a full 8 hours. This means that Aadhaar-verified passengers will have a greater chance of getting confirmed tickets.

From which dates have the changes been implemented?

Indian Railways is implementing this rule in three phases. The first phase was implemented from December 29, 2025, when booking was closed from 8 AM to 12 PM for users without Aadhaar-linked accounts. The second phase was implemented from January 5th, when this time was extended from 8 AM to 4 PM. The third phase will be implemented from January 12th, when users without Aadhaar-linked accounts will not be able to book tickets from 8 AM to 12 AM (midnight).

Why was this decision taken?

The railways say that the aim of this step is to ensure that genuine passengers get confirmed tickets and to curb touts and fake accounts. Aadhaar verification will make the booking process more transparent and increase the chances of ordinary passengers getting tickets on the opening day. ​​It's important to note that this change will only affect online ticket bookings. There are currently no changes to the rules for booking tickets at railway counters or windows. However, OTP verification will now be required even when booking tickets at the counter, and for this, your mobile number must be linked to your Aadhaar.

Who will benefit the most?

This new rule will benefit those passengers the most who have already linked their IRCTC account with their Aadhaar. Only users whose Aadhaar verification is complete will be able to book tickets as soon as the advance reservation period opens. This will significantly increase the chances of getting a confirmed ticket.