Indian Railways has made two significant changes that passengers need to keep in mind for their next train journey. From July 9 onwards, all tickets can only be booked a maximum of 120 days in advance and also, a close check is required for those carrying digital unreserved tickets on the Rail One app.
The changes are intended to ensure that tickets get to real passengers and are not misused digitally. Here’s what’s new and why it matters.
The railways have made several major changes, including reducing the advance reservation period (ARP) for most trains.
In the past, passengers were able to book tickets 120 days before the date of their travel. That window is cut to 60 days effective immediately.
This will help improve the availability of tickets by reducing the number of early bookings that are ultimately cancelled, the Railway Ministry said.
The ministry said nearly 21 per cent of bookings made 61-120 days before travel were cancelled, causing blocking of seats for long periods, making it more difficult for other passengers to get confirmed tickets.
The railways hope the shorter booking window will allow more seats to be available for passengers travelling in the next few weeks, rather than getting locked in months in advance.
Those who bought tickets before the new rules were introduced have nothing to worry about.
The Ministry of Railways has clarified that the old system of booking 120 days in advance will continue to be valid for journeys up to October 31. Those bookings are still in place and passengers are free to go ahead with their plans.
Not all trains will be subject to the revised booking window.
However, some premium daytime services such as Taj Express and Gomti Express will continue to operate on the existing advance reservation period.
Similarly, the special booking facility for foreign tourists remains unchanged and allows reservations up to 365 days in advance.
Railways has also made rules stricter for the passengers travelling with digital unreserved tickets booked through the Rail One app.
Only the original ticket, which is displayed in the Rail One app, will be accepted during ticket inspection, according to the new guidelines.
This means that passengers cannot rely on:
Screenshots of tickets
Images of tickets
PDF editions
Tickets via WhatsApp or other messaging services
Officials said the original ticket must be on the same mobile phone and registered mobile number that were used to generate the ticket.
The new rule only applies to digital unreserved tickets booked through the Rail One app. For those with reserved tickets, their government-issued IDs will be checked as they currently do.
This clarification follows a recent incident on the Korba-Visakhapatnam Link Express, when a ticket check revealed a woman passenger travelling from Korba to Raipur who was fined.
According to the railway administration, the passenger told the travelling ticket examiner that her brother had booked the ticket through the Rail One app and sent her a screenshot via WhatsApp.
But during verification, the officials found that the ticket was issued after the train had already left Korba station. nor was it available at the passenger’s registered mobile number.
Since the passenger had only a screenshot of the digital ticket on WhatsApp and not the original, the ticket was considered invalid, and a penalty was imposed as per railway rules.
Railways has also cautioned the passengers that digital unreserved tickets should be purchased before the train leaves the boarding station.
Any ticket issued after the train has left the station will be deemed invalid, even if it is visible in the Rail One app.
Passengers travelling with digital unreserved tickets are requested to carry the mobile phone on which the Rail One app is registered and to ensure that the device has enough battery during the journey for convenient travel.
The railways have also advised passengers to cross-check the station name, travel date and ticket details before boarding and not to depend on screenshots or forwarded copies during ticket checks.
Indian Railways is making these changes to improve the efficiency of ticket booking and to tighten checks on the misuse of digital tickets. The message for passengers is simple – plan your trip within the new 60-day booking window and have your original digital ticket ready on your registered device when you travel.
Priyanka Roshan is a business writer and assistant editor at the NewsX website who tracks everything from stock market swings and corporate earnings to personal finance trends and policy shifts. Known for turning fast-moving business developments into sharp, reader-friendly stories, she combines speed, accuracy, and a data-driven approach to break down complex financial news for everyday audiences.
With over 9.5 years of newsroom experience, Priyanka has worked with leading media organisations, including Bussiness, Times Now, and Ping Digital, covering diverse beats such as business, politics, technology, auto, travel, sports, and the world. From live breaking news desks to SEO-led digital storytelling, she specialises in creating engaging content that keeps readers informed without overwhelming them.
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