Indian Railways is gearing up for a sweeping overhaul of its reservation ecosystem, aiming to modernise and digitise passenger experience while boosting transparency, predictability, and operational speed. From mandating Aadhaar for Tatkal bookings to advancing chart preparation and launching a next-generation reservation system by 2025, the changes mark one of the most significant upgrades in recent decades for the national transporter.
In a bid to improve visibility for waitlisted passengers and eliminate last-minute uncertainties, the railways will begin preparing final passenger charts a full eight hours before train departure. The current charting process, usually done two to four hours in advance, often leaves travellers in limbo regarding their booking status. The revised schedule is intended to enhance planning and reduce on-ground congestion at stations, especially for long-distance routes. At the heart of this transition is the development of a new, high-capacity Passenger Reservation System (PRS), being implemented by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS). Slated for completion by December 2025, this system will dramatically improve booking capacity—handling up to 1.5 lakh ticket transactions per minute, nearly five times the existing 32,000 tickets per minute. The ticket enquiry function will also see a massive jump from the current 4 lakh to over 40 lakh enquiries per minute, bringing near-instant access to real-time data for crores of passengers.
One of the most user-impacting decisions comes into effect on July 1, with Aadhaar becoming mandatory for Tatkal ticket bookings. This measure, aimed at curbing misuse and tout activity, reinforces the government’s digital identity framework across public services. Linking Aadhaar is expected to ensure more equitable access to the high-demand Tatkal quota, often exploited through bots and manual agents. Adding a fiscal dimension to the operational changes, Indian Railways will implement a fare hike from July 1. Second-class travel beyond 500 km will now cost an additional half paisa per kilometre. Mail and express trains will charge 1 paisa more per km for second class, and air-conditioned coaches will see a 2 paisa per km increase. While suburban routes and monthly season passes remain untouched, this is the first fare revision since 2020, aimed at aligning with the Ministry’s revenue goals for FY26, targeting ₹92,800 crore in passenger fare collections.
Notably, tickets booked before July 1 will not be subject to revised fares, offering some relief to early planners. For context, a typical 3AC ticket on the Delhi–Howrah corridor currently costs around ₹1.13 per km, which will rise marginally post-revision. This upgrade push comes at a time when Indian Railways expects to carry a staggering 7.57 billion passengers in FY26, compared to 7.27 billion in FY25. To meet this scale, infrastructural reliability and system resilience are critical, and the digital overhauls are intended to eliminate long-standing inefficiencies, support real-time data exchange, and reduce reliance on physical intermediaries. While these reforms reflect an essential shift towards smarter and more sustainable transportation systems, passenger awareness and adaptability will determine their success. As Indian Railways lays digital tracks for the future, the balance between accessibility and accountability will define the quality of service millions rely upon every day.
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