Booking Tatkal Tickets? Aadhaar Link, OTP Now Essential

Indian Railways has announced a bold revamp of its Tatkal ticket booking system, introducing stricter rules and digital safeguards to crack down on misuse and put genuine passengers first.

Effective from July 1, 2025, Aadhaar authentication will be mandatory for all online Tatkal bookings.

According to the Ministry of Railways, these new regulations are designed to enhance fairness in access and eliminate irregularities in one of the country’s most sought-after railway ticketing options. The ministry has urged all passengers to link their Aadhaar number with their IRCTC user profiles well in advance to avoid disruption in services.

Aadhaar Mandatory for Online Tatkal Bookings

Starting July 1, 2025, only passengers with Aadhaar-verified IRCTC accounts will be able to book Tatkal tickets via the official IRCTC website and mobile app. Additionally, from July 15, 2025, Aadhaar-based OTP authentication will become a compulsory step for all such online bookings.

Counter Bookings and Agents to Face OTP Verification

In a parallel move to reinforce authentication at physical touchpoints, all Tatkal tickets booked through Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters or authorised agents will require system-generated OTP verification from July 15, 2025. This is aimed at curbing fraudulent bookings and enhancing the legitimacy of transactions.

Time Restrictions Imposed on Agents

To ensure that ordinary passengers get a fair shot at Tatkal tickets, Indian Railways has imposed a 30-minute embargo on authorised ticketing agents during the start of the Tatkal booking window:

AC Class Tickets: No agent bookings between 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM

Non-AC Class Tickets: No agent bookings between 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM

This decisive move is expected to significantly improve ticket availability for the general public during peak hours.

How to Book Tatkal Tickets via IRCTC Portal: Step-by-Step Guide

Login: Visit IRCTC's official site and sign in with your username and password.

Search Train: Enter departure and arrival stations, date of journey, and preferred class.

Select Tatkal Quota: Choose “Tatkal” in the quota dropdown to view eligible trains.

Choose Train & Class: Click on the preferred class for your selected train.

Book Ticket: Hit the “Book Now” button next to your choice.

Enter Details: Fill in passenger names (max 16 characters), age, gender, berth preference, and meal option.

Mobile & Captcha: Provide a valid mobile number and enter the captcha code.

Review Details: Confirm fare, taxes, and seat availability.

Proceed to Payment: Select your preferred payment method.

Pay & Confirm: Click “Pay & Book” to complete the transaction.

Once confirmed, passengers will receive a Virtual Reservation Message (VRM) via SMS for verification during travel.

Act Now: Link Aadhaar to IRCTC Profile

With these changes coming into force soon, passengers are advised to update and verify their Aadhaar details on their IRCTC profiles without delay to avoid last-minute issues during bookings.

The Ministry has emphasized that these reforms are part of a larger push to digitize and secure Indian Railways’ operations, ensuring seamless, fair, and tamper-proof services for over 20 million daily passengers.

ALSO READ: Indian Railways Reaffirms Green Commitment on World Environment Day