Booking a confirmed train ticket on the first day of reservation is often stressful for passengers, especially on busy routes. To make the process smoother and more transparent, Indian Railways has announced a major change in its online ticket booking system.
Aadhaar-authenticated IRCTC users will now get a longer and exclusive booking window on the opening day of train reservations.
The new system will be introduced in a phased manner, starting December 29, 2025. Under this change, passengers who have linked their Aadhaar with their IRCTC account will get priority access to book general reserved tickets for several hours before others.
Over time, this exclusive window will be extended up to midnight, giving Aadhaar-verified users as much as 16 hours to make their bookings.
Railway officials say the move is aimed at reducing misuse, improving fairness, and encouraging passengers to complete Aadhaar authentication.
Here is everything you need to know about the new booking rules, timeline, and what passengers should do next.
AADHAAR-VERIFIED USERS TO GET PRIORITY BOOKING ACCESS
Indian Railways has decided to extend the ticket booking window for passengers who have Aadhaar-authenticated IRCTC accounts. These users will be allowed to book online generally reserved tickets for a longer period on the opening day of the Advance Reservation Period (ARP).
This means Aadhaar-verified users will get early and exclusive access to tickets, while non-Aadhaar users will have to wait until the priority window ends.
PHASED ROLLOUT BEGINS FROM DECEMBER 29, 2025
As per the phased schedule, the new system will start on December 29, 2025. On this date, only Aadhaar-authenticated IRCTC users will be allowed to book reserved tickets between 8 am and 12 noon on the opening day.
Non-Aadhaar users will be permitted to book tickets only after 12 noon on the same day. This marks the first step in expanding Aadhaar-based priority booking.
BOOKING WINDOW TO EXPAND FURTHER FROM JANUARY 2026
The Railway Board has planned a gradual expansion of the exclusive booking window:
-
From January 5, 2026: Aadhaar-verified users can book tickets from 8 am to 4 pm. Non-Aadhaar users can start booking after 4 pm.
-
From January 12, 2026, Aadhaar-authenticated users will get access from 8 am to 12 midnight, giving them a total booking window of 16 hours on the opening day.
This extended window will apply to tickets opening on or after January 12, 2026.
Railway officials have clarified that there will be no change in the existing process for booking reserved tickets through computerised Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters.
Passengers who prefer offline booking or using reservation counters can continue to follow the same procedure as before. The new rule applies only to online ticket booking through IRCTC.
HOW TO LINK AADHAAR WITH YOUR IRCTC ACCOUNT
Passengers who have not yet completed Aadhaar authentication have been advised to do so at the earliest to enjoy the extended booking benefits.
To link Aadhaar with IRCTC:
-
Log in to the IRCTC website or mobile app
-
Go to the ‘My Profile’ section
-
Update Aadhaar details and complete authentication
Railway officials say Aadhaar linking will help ensure fair access to tickets and reduce misuse by multiple or fake accounts.
With the extended booking window, Aadhaar-verified IRCTC users will now have a clear advantage on the most competitive booking day.
As the railways move towards a more secure and streamlined system, passengers are encouraged to complete Aadhaar authentication to avoid last-minute booking issues and missed chances.
– Ends
