New Tatkal ticket booking rules: How to link Aadhaar to your IRCTC account

Tatkal tickets booked through IRCTC’s official website and mobile app will be available only to users authenticated with Aadhaar from July 1. | Photo Credit: The Hindu

To guarantee that the general public receives the benefit of the Tatkal ticket system and to prevent malpractices by agents, the Ministry of Railways has revised the scheme, in which only users authenticated with Aadhaar can book Tatkal tickets through IRCTC’s official website or mobile app from July 1.

How to link Aadhaar to your IRCTC account?

1. Go to the IRCTC’s official website.

2. Log in with your credentials.

3. Go to ‘My Account’ Tab and click on ‘Authenticate User’

4. Enter your Aadhaar number/Virtual ID.

5. Click on the ‘Verify details and receive OTP’ button.

6. Enter the OTP, check the consent form, and click on ‘Submit’.

7. Once submitted, you will get a confirmation like this.

Tips to book Tatkal tickets faster

1. Add/Modify the ‘Master List’ with the names and details of the passengers, along with the Aadhar Number verified before Tatkal booking opens.

2. The easiest payment method is to use the IRCTC’s e-wallet, where you can add the required amount to the wallet in advance.

3. Make sure you have a good internet connection to book your Tatkal tickets faster.

3. The booking for AC tickets begins at 10 am, while the tickets for the sleeper classes are available from 11 am onwards. Do not log in early, as you may get automatically logged out after a point. Therefore, log in on time.

4. Once logged in, add your destination, date, and choose the Tatkal option. Click on Search. Make sure not to waste your time here. Therefore be prepared.

5. This will take you to a list of trains. Choose the train.

6. When you are asked to add the passengers’ names, tick the names of the passengers you have already added in your ‘Master List’. This will speed up the process instead of wasting time entering information manually while booking tickets.

7. Once done, it will take you to the payment page. While it takes more time to make the payment through debit/credit card/internet banking, IRCTC’s e-wallet will make the payment faster with a single click if you have already added the money in it before booking the ticket.

How to add/modify Master list with Aadhaar-verified passenger names?

1. Log in to the IRCTC website with your credentials.

2. Navigate to the ‘My Account’ tab and click on ‘My Profile’.

3. Choose ‘Add/Modify Master List’ from the drop-down menu.

4. Provide the details of the new passengers and enter their Aadhaar numbers.

5. Once added/modified, click ‘Submit’.

6. Once IRCTC verifies, the status will turn to verified automatically.

7. You can add the names from the list when you book Tatkal tickets.

Published - June 12, 2025 01:25 pm IST