Tatkal Ticket Booking Rules: Major Change from July 1; Aadhaar Mandatory for Booking

The Ministry of Railways has announced a significant change in the Tatkal ticket booking system that will come into effect from July 1, 2025. Under the revised rules, passengers will now be required to provide their Aadhaar number to book Tatkal tickets.

According to a circular issued by the Railway Administration on June 10, only Aadhaar-verified users will be permitted to book Tatkal tickets through the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) website or mobile app starting July 1.

Furthermore, beginning July 15, passengers booking Tatkal tickets at railway reservation counters or through authorized agents will also need to complete Aadhaar-linked OTP (One-Time Password) verification. Tatkal tickets will be issued only after the OTP is successfully authenticated.

Railway officials clarified that these changes have been implemented specifically for the benefit of general passengers, aiming to enhance transparency and security in the Tatkal booking process.

With this new regulation, passengers are advised to link their IRCTC accounts with their Aadhaar numbers well in advance to avoid last-minute issues while booking urgent travel tickets.