Indian Railways extends Aadhaar-only booking window for IRCTC users
Indian Railways is making it tougher for ticket touts by expanding the Aadhaar-only online booking window on IRCTC.
Starting soon, you'll need an Aadhaar-verified account to book general reserved tickets during key hours on the first day bookings open.
The move is meant to help real passengers get fair access, while regular PRS counter bookings stay just as they are.
What's changing and when?
From December 29, only Aadhaar-authenticated users can book tickets online from 8am to noon.
This exclusive window gets longer—8am to 4pm from January 5, and all the way till midnight starting January 12.
If you usually book through the IRCTC app or website, you'll want your Aadhaar linked before these dates roll out.
Why does this matter?
This phased rollout aims to stop touts and other unscrupulous elements from grabbing seats before genuine travelers can.
For anyone who books trains online, it is intended to ensure genuine passengers can access the reservation system—just make sure your IRCTC account is Aadhaar-ready.