Indian Railways Hikes Passenger Fares from July 1, Aadhaar Mandatory for Tatkal Booking

New Delhi, June 25, 2025 — Indian Railways will implement an increase in passenger fares and tighten the Tatkal ticket booking process starting July 1, 2025. This will be the first fare revision since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

According to sources, fares for non-AC Mail and Express trains will rise by 1 paise per kilometer, while AC class fares will see an increase of 2 paise per kilometer.

However, the Railways have assured relief for daily and short-distance travelers.

• No fare hike for suburban train tickets.

• Ordinary second-class fares will remain unchanged for travel up to 500 kilometres.

• For distances beyond 500 km in second class, the fare will increase by half a paise per kilometre.

• Monthly Season Tickets (MST) will remain unaffected.

In a parallel move to improve transparency and accessibility, the Railway Ministry has made Aadhaar authentication mandatory for all Tatkal ticket bookings via IRCTC’s website and mobile app, effective July 1, 2025.

Further tightening the process, starting July 15, Tatkal ticket bookings will require OTP-based Aadhaar authentication. Also, authorised railway agents will be barred from booking Tatkal tickets during the initial 30-minute window:

• For AC classes: 10:00 am to 10:30 am

• For Non-AC classes: 11:00 am to 11:30 am

The ministry has directed IRCTC and the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) to update systems and notify all zonal railway divisions accordingly.

These steps are part of Indian Railways’ broader strategy to streamline ticketing, enhance fairness, and ensure benefits reach genuine travellers.