Big Relief for Passengers! Indian Railways Changes Reservation Chart Preparation Time to 8 Hours Before Train

Indian Railways is gearing up to introduce several reforms aimed at enhancing the passenger experience during train ticket bookings. As per a latest statement from the Railway Ministry on 29 June 2025, these changes will include advancements in charting, a new Passenger Reservation System (PRS), and streamlined authentication for Tatkal bookings. Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw has reviewed these upcoming reforms.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasised that the "ticketing system should be smart, transparent, accessible, and efficient. Planning should focus on passenger convenience. The system must ensure a smooth and comfortable travel experience for our passengers," stated the Railway Ministry in their official note.

Seat Reservation Chart Preparation Eight Hours Before Train Departure

The Indian Railway board plans to prepare reservation charts "eight hours" before train departures to reduce uncertainties for passengers. For trains leaving before 2 p.m., charts will be ready by 9 p.m. the previous day. Currently, charts are prepared four hours prior to departure. This change aims to alleviate issues faced by travellers coming from nearby areas.

Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw supports this proposal, and its implementation will occur in phases to avoid operational disruptions. The Ministry noted that uncertainty can cause significant problems for those travelling via Indian Railways.

Understand Railway PRS: Modern Passenger Reservation System

A modern PRS is set to launch by December 2025, designed to be agile and scalable enough to handle ten times the current load. This upgrade aims to enhance ticket booking capacity significantly. The new system will allow over 1.5 lakh tickets per minute, compared to the current 32,000 tickets per minute.

The Ministry highlighted that enquiry capacity will increase tenfold, from 4 lakh to over 40 lakh enquiries per minute. Additionally, the new PRS will feature a multilingual interface with user-friendly booking options where passengers can choose seats and view fare calendars.

Tatkal Booking Authentication: New Changes from July 1st

From 1 July 2025, only authenticated users can book Tatkal tickets via the IRCTC website and app. An OTP-based authentication system will be implemented by late July 2025 for Tatkal bookings. Minister Vaishnaw instructed officials to expand authentication using Aadhaar or other government IDs available in DigiLocker accounts.