Indian Railways Ticket Booking Gets Smarter: New Charting System, Tatkal Ticketing & Modern PRS by 2025

The Indian Railways has announced a comprehensive set of reforms aimed at modernising the reservation system to make it more passenger-friendly, transparent, and efficient. These changes, which will be rolled out in phases, reflect a strong focus on passenger convenience and technological transformation.

Revolutionising Reservation: A Passenger-Centric Approach

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, while reviewing the progress of the reforms, emphasised that the ticketing experience must be “smart, transparent, accessible, and efficient.” The goal, he stated, is to ensure that passengers enjoy a smooth and comfortable journey from booking to boarding.

These new initiatives are part of Indian Railways’ ongoing efforts to build a citizen-centric digital ecosystem for train travel.

Charting of Waitlisted Tickets Now 8 Hours Before Departure

Current System: A Source of Uncertainty

Under the existing system, the reservation chart is typically prepared four hours before the scheduled departure of a train. This practice often leaves waitlisted passengers in uncertainty, especially those traveling from distant locations to the boarding station.

Many passengers, unsure whether their tickets are confirmed, find it difficult to plan their journey to the station or make alternate travel arrangements.

New Proposal: Charting 8 Hours Prior

To address this, the Railway Board has proposed a new rule:

• For trains departing after 2 PM, the reservation chart will be prepared 8 hours before departure.

• For trains departing before 2 PM, the chart will be made at 9 PM on the previous day.

The Railway Minister has approved this proposal and directed phased implementation to ensure minimal disruption.

Benefits to Passengers

• Advance update on the status of waitlisted tickets.

• Reduced stress and better travel planning.

• More time to make alternate arrangements if the ticket is not confirmed.

• Convenience for passengers coming from remote areas, who often travel long distances just to reach the boarding station.

This change is expected to dramatically reduce the uncertainty surrounding waitlisted tickets and improve overall passenger satisfaction.

Modern Passenger Reservation System (PRS) by December 2025

Another cornerstone of the Indian Railways’ transformation is the modernisation of the Passenger Reservation System (PRS), led by CRIS (Centre for Railway Information Systems). The new PRS is being designed to be agile, scalable, and technologically advanced, capable of handling massive user traffic efficiently.

Key Features of the New PRS

• Booking Capacity: Will increase from 32,000 tickets per minute to over 1.5 lakh tickets per minute, a 5X improvement.

• Enquiry Capacity: From 4 lakh per minute to over 40 lakh per minute, a 10X jump.

• Multilingual and user-friendly interface for both bookings and enquiries.

• Choice of Seat Selection: Passengers can now view and select preferred seats.

• Fare Calendar: Enables users to plan journeys based on fare fluctuations.

• Integrated Services for Special Categories: Including Divyangjan, students, and patients.

Why This Matters

The upcoming PRS will significantly reduce the congestion and delays currently experienced during peak booking hours, especially for Tatkal and festival-time bookings. It also aligns with India’s broader push toward digital inclusion and citizen-friendly e-governance.

Tatkal Ticketing for Verified Users Only: More Secure and Fair

From July 1, 2025, Tatkal bookings on the IRCTC website and mobile app will be restricted to authenticated users only.

Authentication Process

• Users must verify their identity using OTP-based verification.

• Acceptable credentials include Aadhaar Card or any other government ID stored in the DigiLocker.

• Mandatory verification will be required before initiating any Tatkal booking.

Why This Move is Important

This reform is intended to tackle the long-standing issues of misuse of Tatkal quota by agents and bots, which often leaves genuine passengers at a disadvantage.

Expected Benefits

• Enhanced transparency in Tatkal booking process.

• Reduced fraud and ticket hoarding.

• More equitable access for genuine users.

• Improved booking experience for last-minute travellers.

Multilingual Booking & Enquiry Support

The new reservation system will support multiple Indian languages, enabling passengers from various linguistic backgrounds to book and enquire in their native language. This initiative is crucial for making the system inclusive and more accessible to people across rural and semi-urban regions.

A New Era of Passenger Convenience and Digital Efficiency

These initiatives are a part of Indian Railways’ broader vision to redefine the ticketing experience through technology and innovation. The new systems aim to make rail travel more efficient, transparent, and user-friendly for the millions of Indians who depend on it daily.