A train trip starts with a ticket. Indian Railways has made changes to make booking easy. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the ticket system should be smart, clear, open, and fast. He said passenger comfort is most important so travel is smooth.
Reservation Chart to be Prepared Earlier
Currently, the reservation chart is made four hours before a train leaves, which causes problems for passengers, especially those coming from far away. Now, the Railway Board has decided to make the chart eight hours before departure.
For trains leaving before 2 PM, the chart will be ready by 9 PM the previous day. The Railway Minister has approved this and asked for phased implementation. This change will help passengers with waiting list tickets know their status earlier and make alternate plans if needed. It will especially help passengers from remote areas or suburbs.
New Passenger Reservation System and Tatkal Rules
Indian Railways is also upgrading the Passenger Reservation System (PRS) by December 2025. Railway Minister Vaishnaw reviewed the progress. The new system will be faster, flexible, and can handle ten times more users. Ticket booking capacity will rise from 32,000 tickets per minute to 1.5 lakh tickets per minute. Inquiry handling will also rise from 4 lakh to 40 lakh queries per minute.
New features will include a multilingual and easy interface, seat selection, a fare calendar, and options for differently-abled persons, students, and patients.
From July 1, 2025, only verified users can book Tatkal tickets. OTP-based verification will be needed on the IRCTC app and website. Verification will use Aadhaar or any government ID from DigiLocker.