To prevent ticket fraud and provide better facilities to the passengers, the Railways has taken a major step. Now, on the first day of the Advance Reservation Period (ARP), online ticket booking will be possible only through Aadhaar-verified IRCTC accounts. Those whose accounts are not linked with Aadhaar will be able to book tickets only during the specified time. From January 12, 2026, online ticket booking will not be possible without Aadhaar ID.

From December 29, 2025, on the first day of advance reservation, from 8 am to 12 noon, only Aadhaar-verified users will be able to book reserved tickets online. Also, from January 5, 2026, the time limit will be extended from 8 am to 4 pm. Subsequently, from January 12, 2026, on the inauguration day, from 8 am to 12 midnight, ticket booking will be possible only through Aadhaar-verified accounts for the entire day. However, the Railways has said that this rule is applicable only to online bookings. There will be no change in the existing process of booking tickets through PRS (Passenger Reservation System) counters.

Strict action against fake accounts

According to Railway sources, this step has been taken to eradicate the network of fake accounts. So far, about 3 crore fake IRCTC accounts have been closed. The process of identifying and closing another 3 crore accounts is underway. A total of about 6 crore fake accounts are expected to be deactivated.

Railway officials say that Aadhaar-based verification will ensure the identity of genuine users and prevent bulk bookings using fake profiles. Restricting the online booking window to Aadhaar-authenticated users will prevent fraud and unfair practices. This will make it easier for genuine passengers to book tickets and strengthen public trust in the online reservation system of Indian Railways. Passengers are advised to link their IRCTC account with Aadhaar in time. So that they do not face any problems when the new rules come into effect from January 2026.

What is ARP?

The Advance Reservation Period (ARP) is the time when passengers are allowed to book tickets in advance. In the past, passengers were allowed to book their tickets 120 days before travelling, but this time has been reduced to 60 days. Aadhaar Verification was previously required to be completed within the first 15 minutes of booking a regular ticket, and now this requirement will no longer exist for regular ticket bookings.

Additionally, Aadhaar Verification was previously required to be completed between the hours of 8 AM and 10 AM, and the Railways have now extended that time frame as well. The Railways have also clarified that there are no changes in how tickets are purchased from computerized PRS Counters, therefore this change will not impact those passengers who purchase tickets at the counter.

Major change in ticket booking timings

After December 29, 2025, the Railways has made a major change in the ticket booking timings. Passengers can now book tickets only from 8:00 am to 12:00 am. Note that this facility is available only to Aadhaar-verified IRCTC account users. The first reservation chart for trains running from 5:01 am to 2:00 pm will be prepared by 8:00 pm the previous day, so that passengers can know the status of their confirmed tickets in advance. Meanwhile, for trains running from 2:01 pm to 11:59 pm and from 12:00 pm to 5:00 am, the first chart will generally be prepared at least 10 hours in advance. The Railways said that these changes will make the ticket booking system more transparent and provide better convenience to the passengers.