Indian Railways has announced a major change in the Opening Day ARP (Advance Reservation Period) ticket booking rules. Starting October 28, 2025, only Aadhaar-verified IRCTC users will be allowed to book ARP tickets between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM.
This is a major expansion from the earlier restriction, which applied only from 8:00 AM to 8:30 AM. 🚂
This change impacts millions of travellers and railway agents, especially those trying to book tickets on the opening day for popular trains where seats sell out in minutes.
✅ What Exactly Is Changing?
Earlier Rule
- Aadhaar verification is required only from 08:00 AM – 08:30 AM
- After 08:30 AM → Any registered user could book
New Rule (from 28 Oct 2025)
- Aadhaar verification required from 08:00 AM – 10:00 AM
- After 10:00 AM → Anyone can book
🕗 That means the Aadhaar-only booking window has increased from 30 minutes to 2 hours
Book train tickets on Paytm now
Why Did the Railways Expand the Aadhaar Verification Window? 🚂
This change has been introduced to fix real issues travellers face:
- To prevent ticket touting, some agents use bots and illegal tools to book bulk tickets instantly, leaving genuine passengers helpless.
- To ensure fair access: Verified identity reduces fake accounts and gives real travellers a better chance.
- To push Aadhaar-based authentication: It helps maintain transparency and avoids fraudulent booking practices.
- To protect popular routes: Trains running to tourist hotspots, festival destinations, or long weekend getaways get sold out in seconds.
By expanding the Aadhaar-only time window, Railways wants to ensure that more tickets reach real people.
How to Link Aadhaar with your IRCTC account: 👇
Click here to link your Aadhaar with your IRCTC account on Paytm and follow the steps below:
- After clicking on the above link, you’ll reach the Paytm Aadhaar Link page
- Click on ‘Link Now’ and log in to your IRCTC account
- Enter user name, password and captcha to sign in
- Go to My Account and then tap on Authenticate user
- Enter Aadhaar Number and verify using OTP
- Accept terms and tap Submit
Who Will Be Most Affected? 🤔
This update is especially relevant if you:
- Travel on popular long-distance trains
- Book tickets for festive seasons or holiday peaks
- Travel over long weekends.
- Have a family that needs multiple confirmed seats.
- Rely on ARP booking to avoid the Tatkal rush.
Earlier, even without Aadhaar, you could refresh the screen at 8:30 AM and still snag seats – but that flexibility is gone now.
What Is ARP and Why Is It Important? ✅
ARP stands for Advance Reservation Period – typically 60 days before the travel date. When reservations open on that day at 8:00 AM, the seats are fresh and maximum in number.
This is often the only chance to secure:
- Confirmed berths for families
- Lower berths for senior citizens
- Popular trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi, and Vande Bharat
- Festival/summer vacation travel tickets
Hence, the identity-based restriction ensures fairness at the exact moment of demand.
Final Takeaway 🚂
Indian Railways is making the ARP booking system more secure, more transparent, and more passenger-friendly. As ticket demand continues to soar, this policy ensures that confirmed seats reach genuine passengers first – not bots or touts.
If you want hassle-free booking at 8 AM –
✅ Update your Aadhaar KYC on IRCTC now.
A small step today can help you secure your next confirmed train seat!
