According to the PTI report, on Monday, September 15, 2025, a ministry circular said that to reach the benefits of the reservation system to the common user and to prevent its misuse by unethical elements, it has been decided that during the first 15 minutes of general reservation from 1.10.2025, reserved general tickets will be booked only by users with Aadhaar authentication.
Officials said that the ministry also confirmed that the current 10 minutes of ban will continue for the authorized ticketing agents at PRS counters. During the first 10 minutes of opening the general reservation, the authorized ticketing agents of Indian Railways will not be allowed to book opening de reserved tickets.
A ministry official said that a similar ban was imposed for immediate booking. Previously, we had issued a circular in which a 15 -minute ban was imposed for immediate booking. In view of the benefits of that order, we have now decided to implement this facility on general reservation booking as well.
How will the new rule work?
From October 1, 2025, only the passengers who have Aadhaar Linked IRCTC account, will be able to book a general reserved ticket online during the first 15 minutes of opening the reservation window. After this period, the general booking process for all registered users will resume.
First 15 minutes: Only base-attested users can book tickets online.
After 15 minutes: Booking becomes normal; All registered users can book tickets.
Prs counter: no changes; Physical ticket booking will continue as usual.
authorized agent: Will continue to face a 10 -minute ban for immediate booking.
This step specifically targets the early high demand period, causing verified users to reach popular trains and routes without faced delay in ticket brokers or systems.
For example, if a train is scheduled to depart at 10 am on October 1, and the reservation opens at 10 am today, only the base-prohibited users will be allowed to book general reservation for the first 15 minutes. Earlier, this restriction applied only to immediate booking, which opens one day before the departure of the train.
How to link Aadhaar to IRCTC account
Passengers will have to link their IRCTC account to Aadhaar before October 1, 2025 so that they can take advantage of the booking window 15 minutes in advance. Here is the way mentioned:
Step 2: Go to the ‘My Profile’ section.
Step 3: Choose ‘Aadhaar Authentication’.
Step 4: Enter your 12-digit Aadhaar number.
Step 5: Complete the verification process using OTP sent to your registered mobile number.
Passengers are advised to match the information of their IRCTC account with the base details so that there is no problem in verification.
For regular train passengers, this new rule will greatly affect booking during peak demand periods. By linking Aadhaar, passengers can book tickets immediately as soon as the booking window opens, which can prevent the despair of the last time.
The Aadhaar authentication for online train booking from October 1, 2025 is a step towards creating a fair and safe reservation system. Passengers are advised to complete their Aadhaar linking in advance so that the experience of ticket booking can be smooth and trouble free.
