Indian Railway Ticket Booking New Rules 2026 : Indian Railways has made a major change in the ticket reservation system. In 2026, the Railways introduced several important changes in ticket booking rules. From 17 February, Aadhaar has been made mandatory for advance ticket booking. If your IRCTC account is not linked with Aadhaar, you will not be able to book tickets between 8 AM and 4 PM.
Indian Railway Ticket Booking New Rules : Reservation Rules Changed from 17 February.
Indian Railways has changed the rules for advance ticket booking, which opens 60 days before the journey date. According to the new rules, on the first day of ticket opening, users whose IRCTC accounts are not linked with Aadhaar will face restrictions.
From 17 February, IRCTC users without Aadhaar linkage cannot reserve tickets between 8 AM and 4 PM. This rule applies only on the first day of the advance booking window.
More Strict Rules from 17 February
To stop ticket fraud and middlemen (agents), the Railways has taken this step. Under the new policy:
- From 29 December, ticket booking was blocked for non-Aadhaar users from 8 AM to 12 PM
- From 17 February, this restriction was extended to 8 AM to 4 PM
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From 24 febuary, the restriction will apply from 8 AM to 12 midnight
This means users without Aadhaar will only be able to book online tickets at night.
However, this strict rule applies only to online ticket booking. Offline ticket booking will continue as usual.
Why Did Railways Take This Decision?
Indian Railways implemented this rule to prevent ticket fraud. Aadhaar verification helps identify fake and duplicate accounts, and lakhs of fake IRCTC accounts have already been blocked.
With this decision, genuine passengers will have a better chance of getting confirmed tickets on the opening day of advance booking. Passengers without Aadhaar can either book tickets offline or book online after the restricted time period.
For Aadhaar-linked IRCTC accounts, ticket booking is completed through OTP verification, making the process more secure.
How to Link Aadhaar with IRCTC?
To book tickets online through the IRCTC app or website, Aadhaar linking is required. Follow these steps:
- Log in to your IRCTC account
- Go to My Profile
- Click on Aadhaar KYC
- Enter your Aadhaar number
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Enter the OTP received on your registered mobile number
After OTP verification, your IRCTC account will be successfully linked with Aadhaar.