In a significant move aimed at curbing malpractice, Indian Railways has announced a phased expansion of the booking window exclusively for Aadhaar-authenticated users on the IRCTC platform. The new timings will come into effect from Monday, December 29, 2025.
Revised Booking Schedule for Aadhaar-Linked Users
The national transporter is systematically extending the period during which only passengers with Aadhaar-verified IRCTC accounts can book general reserved tickets on the opening day of the Advance Reservation Period (ARP). This initiative is designed to ensure that the benefits of the reservation system reach genuine passengers and prevent misuse by touts or unscrupulous elements.
Previously, Aadhaar-based verification was mandatory only during the first 15 minutes of general reservation opening. This was later extended to the morning hours from 8 AM to 10 AM. Now, the scope is being widened considerably in a three-phase rollout.
Detailed Phase-Wise Implementation Plan
The Railway Board outlined the new schedule in a letter dated December 18, 2025, addressed to all Principal Chief Commercial Managers (PCCMs). The phased plan is as follows:
- Phase 1 (From December 29, 2025): The Aadhaar-authenticated booking window will be active from 08:00 hours to 12:00 hours (noon) on the ARP opening day.
- Phase 2 (From January 5, 2026): The window will be further extended to run from 08:00 hours to 16:00 hours (4 PM).
- Phase 3 (From January 12, 2026): The final extension will cover the period from 08:00 hours until midnight (00:00 hours) of the opening day.
It is important to note that this change applies only to online bookings made through the IRCTC website or mobile app. There will be no change in the procedure for booking tickets across computerised Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters at railway stations.
Updated Chart Preparation Timings
In related updates, Indian Railways has also clarified the latest guidelines on reservation chart preparation timing. Passengers should take note of the following schedule for better planning:
- For trains scheduled to depart between 05:01 hrs and 14:00 hrs, the first reservation chart will be prepared preferably by 20:00 hrs on the previous day.
- For trains with departure times between 14:01 hrs and 23:59 hrs, as well as those departing between 00:00 hrs and 05:00 hrs, the first reservation chart will be prepared preferably at least 10 hours in advance of the scheduled departure.
This series of measures underscores Indian Railways' continued focus on leveraging digital identity to create a fairer and more transparent ticketing ecosystem. Passengers are advised to complete their Aadhaar authentication on IRCTC well in advance to avoid any inconvenience during the peak booking windows.
