IRCTC’s new rule: Train tickets cannot be booked without Aadhaar between 8 am and 10 am.
IRCTC: Indian Railways has made a major change to the rules for online ticket booking. Starting October 28, 2025, Aadhaar authentication will be mandatory for passengers booking reserved train tickets between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM.
IRCTC: Indian Railways has made a major change to the rules for online ticket booking. Starting October 28, 2025, passengers will be required to provide Aadhaar authentication to book reserved train tickets between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM. This decision was taken to prevent fraudulent train ticket booking and the practice of booking multiple tickets simultaneously.
Now, only Aadhaar-verified users will be able to book tickets.
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) stated on its website that starting October 28, 2025, only Aadhaar-verified users will be able to book reserved tickets between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM every day. This time slot is the busiest time for train ticket booking, when tickets for popular trains are sold out within minutes of opening.
Due to the high demand for tickets during these two hours, complaints often arise about fraudulent ticket bookings by automated booking software or agents. Under the new rule, only Aadhaar-verified users are allowed to book tickets. By doing this, the Railways aims to prevent irregularities in train booking.
Regular users will also be able to make bookings during the remaining time.
IRCTC has clearly stated that Aadhaar authentication will not be required for booking tickets after 10 am or at night. This means that any user can book tickets from their account using the old method during other times. However, on the first day of reservation opening, the time slot from 8 am to 10 am will be exclusively for Aadhaar-verified users.
If you haven’t linked your Aadhaar, here’s how to do it.
If you haven’t yet linked your IRCTC account with Aadhaar, it can be done online immediately.
How to complete the process:
Log in to www.irctc.co.in.
Go to the My Account tab and select the Authenticate User option.
Enter your Aadhaar number or Virtual ID. The screen will display your name, date of birth, and gender. Ensure it matches your Aadhaar card.
Click Verify details and receive OTP.
An OTP will be sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile number.
Enter the OTP and submit.
After this, your Aadhaar authentication process will be completed, and a “Successfully Authenticated” message will appear on the screen.
New rules for general ticket reservations too
According to IRCTC’s new guidelines, from October 1, 2025, only Aadhaar-verified users will be allowed to book tickets during the first 15 minutes of general reservation ticket booking. This means that general users will not be able to book tickets for the first 15 minutes after ticket booking opens in the morning.
No change in offline bookings
The Railways has clarified that this rule applies only to online bookings (IRCTC website and app). There is no change in the booking time for those booking tickets at PRS (Passenger Reservation System) counters or through railway agents.
Aadhaar verification already applies to Tatkal tickets
Previously, the Railways had made Aadhaar authentication mandatory for online Tatkal ticket bookings from July 1, 2025. Additionally, from July 15, 2025, an OTP-based verification process has been introduced for Tatkal ticket bookings through PRS counters and authorized railway agents. Now, when booking every Tatkal ticket, the user must complete authentication using an OTP sent to their mobile number.
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