New Delhi: The Ministry of Railways has introduced a key change to the train ticket booking process on the IRCTC website and mobile app, making Aadhaar-based verification mandatory for morning bookings to curb misuse by touts and ensure genuine passengers benefit from the reservation system.

According to the new rule, only Aadhaar-authenticated users can book reserved tickets between 8 am and 10 am on booking. The update took effect on October 28, 2025, IRCTC confirmed.

The ministry clarified that the timings for general ticket bookings through PRS counters remain unchanged, and authorised ticketing agents will continue to face a 10-minute restriction at the start of the general reservation window.

Earlier this year, Indian Railways also made Aadhaar authentication mandatory for Tatkal bookings, restricting agents from booking opening-day Tatkal tickets during the first 30 minutes of the window.

The measures aim to prevent bulk bookings and enhance transparency in the reservation process.