From July 1, 2025, Indian Railways is set to roll out key changes that will impact millions of daily passengers. Most notably, Tatkal ticket bookings will now require Aadhaar-based OTP verification, making the process more secure and transparent. Agents will also face restrictions: AC Tatkal tickets can only be booked after 10:30 AM, and non-AC after 11:30 AM.

In addition, reservation charts will now be finalized 8 hours before departure, doubling the current time window and giving waitlisted passengers more clarity. Meanwhile, waiting lists in AC coaches will be increased to 60% of seat capacity, boosting booking chances.

There’s also a modest fare revision: 1 paise/km hike for non-AC mail/express trains, and 2 paise/km for AC classes. Fares for suburban routes and monthly season tickets remain unchanged.

These changes are part of a larger upgrade to the railway’s reservation system, which will be fully revamped by December 2025, promising faster bookings and better user experience.