Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 4: Travellers planning to book Tatkal train tickets will have to follow a revised set of procedures from August 1, with Indian Railways introducing new rules aimed at easing congestion at reservation counters and improving the online booking experience. The changes include a token-based queue system at Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters, while the revamped IRCTC website is reported to be significantly speeding up online bookings.
The new measures are intended to make last-minute ticket reservations more organised and efficient for passengers booking both offline and online.
Token-based queue system at reservation counters
Passengers booking Tatkal tickets at PRS counters will now be issued a numbered token on arrival, which will determine their place in the queue.
The new arrangement replaces the earlier system, under which passengers first had to collect a token and then stand in another queue to complete the booking process, often leading to overcrowding and delays.
According to a report by The Economic Times, tokens for AC class Tatkal bookings will be issued between 8.30 am and 9.30 am, while those for non-AC class bookings will be distributed between 9 am and 9.30 am.
Counter bookings divided into two categories
Tatkal bookings at reservation counters have also been split into Category A and Category B.
Passengers under Category A will receive priority and their bookings will be processed first. Category B, which comprises all other passengers, will be served only after Category A bookings are completed.
Passengers in Category B must carry an Aadhaar card or any other valid photo identity card accepted by the Railways. Railway authorities have advised passengers to carry valid identification and collect their tokens within the specified time window to avoid delays.
Aadhaar authentication continues for online bookings
For passengers booking Tatkal tickets through the IRCTC website or mobile application, the existing Aadhaar authentication requirement remains unchanged.
Only Aadhaar-authenticated users will be allowed to book Tatkal tickets online. The booking process can be completed only after entering the one-time password (OTP) sent to the registered mobile number.
Authorised ticketing agents will continue to be barred from making Tatkal bookings during the first 30 minutes of the booking window — from 10 am to 10.30 am for AC classes and 11 am to 11.30 am for non-AC classes.
Revamped IRCTC website boosts booking speed
Separately, the upgraded IRCTC beta website has shown encouraging results in handling Tatkal bookings during the crucial opening minutes of the reservation window.
According to data released by IRCTC, bookings completed within the first three minutes of the Tatkal window increased by more than 5% following the launch of the beta platform. Bookings completed within five minutes rose by 3%, while those completed within 30 minutes increased by 2% compared with figures recorded in early July.
The improvements come as online reservations continue to dominate railway ticket bookings, with digital transactions accounting for a record 89.84% of all railway ticket bookings in July 2026.
Railway officials have advised passengers planning to book Tatkal tickets online to complete their Aadhaar authentication well in advance, ensuring they can take full advantage of the faster booking platform without delays caused by last-minute verification.