Indian Railways will implement its first fare hike in years starting July 1, 2025. As per the new structure, fares for non-AC mail and express trains will increase by one paise per kilometre, while AC classes will see a rise of two paise per kilometre. Suburban and second-class journeys up to 500 km remain unaffected, and season ticket rates will not change.
In parallel, Aadhaar authentication will become mandatory for Tatkal bookings on the IRCTC website and app. From July 15, passengers will also need to complete an OTP-based Aadhaar verification during booking. To curb agent misuse, Tatkal bookings by agents are barred for the first 30 minutes of release: from 10:00–10:30 AM for AC tickets and 11:00–11:30 AM for non-AC.
These reforms aim to ensure fairness, enhance transparency, and improve the booking experience for genuine passengers across India.
