Indian Railways is always looking for ways to help passengers have a smoother travel experience. Recently, a big change was announced that will make planning your train journey much easier.
What’s New in Reservation Charts?
- Earlier Chart Preparation: The reservation chart, which tells you if your ticket is confirmed, will now be made 8 hours before the train leaves. Before, it was only done 4 hours before departure.
- Why This Matters: This means you’ll know much sooner if your ticket is confirmed or still on the waitlist. It gives you more time to make other plans if your ticket isn’t confirmed.
- How It Works: For trains that leave before 2 p.m., the chart will be prepared the night before at 9 p.m.
- Who Benefits Most: This is especially helpful for people coming from far away or from the edges of big cities. They’ll have more time to check their ticket status and arrange other travel if needed.
Why Did Indian Railways Make This Change?
- Focus on Passenger Convenience: The Railway Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, wants the ticketing system to be smart, clear, and quick for everyone.
- Less Uncertainty: With earlier chart preparation, passengers with waitlisted tickets will get updates sooner, so they can plan their trips better.
- Smooth Transition: The change will be introduced step by step to avoid any problems or confusion.
Big Upgrades Coming to the Booking System
Indian Railways is also working on a major upgrade to its Passenger Reservation System (PRS):
- More Power: The new system will be able to handle ten times more bookings and enquiries than now.
- Faster Bookings: Once ready, you’ll be able to book over 1.5 lakh tickets every minute and check more than 40 lakh ticket enquiries per minute.
- Easier to Use: The upgraded system will be available in many languages and will have new features like:
- Fare calendars (to see ticket prices for any date)
- Seat preference options (to choose your favorite seat)
- Support for Divyangjan, students, and patients (special help for those who need it)
- When Will It Be Ready? The new PRS is expected to be fully ready by December 2025.
New Rules for Tatkal Tickets
- Only Verified Users: Starting July 1, only people who have proved their identity can book Tatkal tickets on the IRCTC website or app.
- How to Verify: By the end of July, you’ll need to use an OTP (one-time password) sent to your Aadhaar or another government ID linked to your DigiLocker account.
- Why This Change? This is to make sure only real people book tickets and to stop fake bookings.
Indian Railways is always trying to make train travel better for everyone. These new changes and upgrades will help you plan your trips with less stress and more confidence!
