Worrying about how to book last-minute tatkal travel? Well, in 2025, the Indian Railways took many tough and imperative decisions in the tatkal ticket booking system making things much easier and friendlier for passengers. The booking in tatkal has now, as per the recent rules, become the easiest and most transparent way of booking travel. Let’s see what you need to know while booking tatkal tickets in 2025.
New Timeline For Booking Tatkal Tickets
The end of 2025 has been marked by a change in the time limit set by Railways for tatkal ticket booking and it now becomes possible to book tatkal tickets starting at 10:00 am from 2 days before the journey, instead of being able to do so from 11:00 am. Realizing that this permits a time for the benefit of passengers to panic-book their ticket reservations.
Change In Tatkal Fee
According to the new rules, the tatkal surcharge will now vary according to the travel class and distance of the train travel. For example, general -adding charge will now range from ₹200 to ₹400, and for AC class, it will be a wider range between ₹400 to ₹800. With the premium tatkal service, tickets can also be acquired at the last minute but at a higher cost.
Aadhaar Linked Booking Compulsory
In the future, the mentioning of the Aadhaar number of every passenger, while booking a tatkal ticket would be compulsory to eliminate the frauds of allocation. This, too, would stop a person from taking many tickets for the same journey. Moreover, Aadhaar verification at the time of ticket cancellation will be required further.
Waiting List And RAC Rules
The rules pertaining to waiting lists and RAC on tatkal tickets had been relaxed in 2025. The probability of confirmation of waiting-list tickets will now be shown more clearly than before. If the ticket gets not confirmed, the entire amount will be refunded, except for the tatkal fee.
Changes In Offline Booking
Tatkal tickets now had been allowed to be booked, only through the IRCTC website/App. Railways have banned the booking of tatkal tickets for all private ticket agents, so that all benefits directly accrue to the passengers. However, a special exemption is made for senior citizens and Divyang passengers, whereby they can still book tatkal tickets from the railway counter.
Modification In Refund Policy
Under the amended policy, any cancellation of a tatkal ticket shall attract a cancellation charge ranging from ₹ 200-₹ 500, depending upon the class of travel. 50% of the amount shall be refunded for cancellation done 24 hours before the journey, while no refund shall be given for cancellation within 24 hours.
Conclusion
When booking tatkal tickets for 2025, memo the new rules very well. Online booking must be done through the IRCTC website or app, and Aadhaar numbers should be arranged well in advance. Keep checking the ticket status prior to traveling, and in case of any hitch, feel free to lodge a complaint with the Railway helpline number, 139.
Also Read: Big Changes In Ration Card Rules 2025: What Every Citizen Must Know!