Indian Railways to hike passenger fares from July 1; Aadhaar now mandatory for Tatkal bookings

Indian Railways will implement fare increases starting July 1, 2025. Non-AC fares rise by 1 paise/km, AC by 2 paise/km, while second-class journeys under 500 km and suburban fares remain unchanged.

Train journeys across India are all set to get slightly more expensive, as the Indian Railways has announced a hike in passenger fares, effective July 1, 2025 — the first such revision in years. At the same time, travellers booking Tatkal tickets will soon need to authenticate themselves using Aadhaar, as part of a new push to curb misuse and streamline the reservation process.

What's changing in fares?

If you're a regular train traveller, here's what to expect:

• For non-AC Mail and Express trains, fares will increase by 1 paise per kilometre.
• AC travellers will see a hike of 2 paise per kilometre.
• For second-class journeys under 500 kilometres and all suburban routes, there's no change in fare.
• Long-distance second-class passengers (travel above 500 km) will face only a half-paise per kilometre increase.
• Monthly season ticket fares remain unchanged, bringing relief to daily commuters.

While the fare hike is modest, it's the first in several years and comes as part of a broader effort to improve railway services and infrastructure.

Aadhaar must for Tatkal from July 1

Another major change is the mandatory use of Aadhaar authentication for Tatkal bookings starting July 1. This means passengers will need to link their Aadhaar with their IRCTC account and complete OTP-based verification while booking fast-track tickets.

From July 15, every Tatkal booking will also require a one-time password (OTP) sent to the Aadhaar-linked mobile number for final confirmation.

To ensure fair access, authorised booking agents will be restricted from booking Tatkal tickets in the first 30 minutes of the reservation window.

• 10:00 to 10:30 am for AC class Tatkal tickets
• 11:00 to 11:30 am for non-AC class Tatkal tickets

Why this matters

The Railway Ministry says these updates are aimed at ensuring transparency, reducing agent misuse, and helping genuine passengers get tickets more easily — especially during high-demand periods.