Indian Railways has rolled out a series of major updates effective July 15, 2026, aimed at streamlining the unreserved ticketing process and enhancing the efficiency of the IRCTC portal. These changes impact how passengers book general tickets via the RailOne app, while also introducing significant modifications to the Advance Reservation Period and Tatkal booking protocols.
Key updates include:
• Mandatory photo ID requirement for all RailOne general ticket bookings.
• Prohibition of screenshots or forwarded images for ticket verification.
• Discontinuation of the 3% digital payment discount on unreserved tickets.
• Reduction of the Advance Reservation Period (ARP) from 120 days to 60 days.
• IRCTC website capacity upgrade to handle 1.5 lakh bookings per minute.
• Mandatory Aadhaar-based OTP authentication for all online Tatkal bookings.
New Protocols for Mobile General Tickets
Starting today, passengers using the RailOne mobile app—which replaced the UTS app earlier this year—must provide a valid photo identity document during the booking process. Travelers are required to carry the original ID, such as an Aadhaar card, Voter ID, PAN, or driving license, during their journey. Railway authorities have clarified that screenshots, WhatsApp copies, or forwarded images of mobile tickets are no longer valid. Passengers must present the live digital ticket directly within the app to avoid penalties. These measures are designed to curb black marketing and improve security. Please note that these rules do not apply to tickets purchased at station counters, where no ID proof is required.
IRCTC Portal Overhaul and Reservation Changes
In a major technology upgrade, the IRCTC website has been overhauled to support a significantly higher traffic volume, now capable of processing over 1.5 lakh bookings per minute. Alongside this, Indian Railways has officially reduced the Advance Reservation Period (ARP) from 120 days to 60 days, excluding the date of the journey.
Furthermore, the booking process for Tatkal tickets has been tightened. To ensure fair access, there is now mandatory Aadhaar-based OTP authentication for all online Tatkal transactions. Additionally, authorized agents are now restricted from booking Tatkal tickets during the first 30 minutes of the booking window, ensuring that individual passengers have priority access during peak demand. The 3% discount previously offered for digital payments on unreserved tickets via RailOne has also been discontinued as of July 15, 2026.