IRCTC New Rules: Alert! Wait Listed Passengers Think Twice Before Boarding Reserved Coaches, Check Big Changes in Booking Tickets

IRCTC New Rules: IRCTC made many changes in booking railway tickets. Now passengers are not allowed to travel in sleeper class and AC class with waiting tickets from 1st May, 2025. At the time of booking railway tickets, passengers are now required to be verified by OTP. Days for advance booking are reduced and refund process is faster now.

IRCTC New Rules: Passengers with waitlisted tickets not allowed in sleeper or AC coaches.

From 1st May 2025, passengers having waitlisted tickets are not allowed to board sleeper or AC coaches. If someone is found in these coaches with a waitlisted ticket, railway staffs are allowed to move them out and charge a fine. This step is taken by IRCTC for comfortable travel experience and safety of confirmed ticket holders.

• Passengers whose status is fully confirmed / fully RAC after chart preparation, they can undertake their journey.

• Name of the passengers whose names are partly confirmed/partly waitlist or partly RAC/partly waitlist, they can also continue their journey.

• Passengers, who are fully on waiting list (all the passengers in the transaction) after chart preparation, are not allowed to board the train. They can travel in unreserved compartments.

• Passengers, who do not follow this rule, may be fined up to ₹ 250 for sleeper class and up to ₹ 440 for AC class, in addition to the fare from the boarding point to the next station.

IRCTC New Rules: OTP Mandatory for ticket booking

To remove and reduce the unauthorized booking by agents, IRCTC made it compulsory to verify through one-time password (OTP) for all the railway ticket bookings done online on IRCTC website or app. This new OTP rule for train travel ensures that ticket is being booked by a real passenger and not by any agent.

IRCTC New Rules: The Advance Reservation Period (ARP) reduced from 120 days to 60 days

IRCTC has cut down Advance Reservation Period from 120 days to 60 days excluding the date of the journey. It was seen that about 21% of reservations done for 61 to 120 day periods were getting cancelled. Further, 5% of passengers were neither canceling their tickets nor were undertaking the journey. This rule is made to improve ticket availability for genuine passengers and reduce cancellations and no-shows, which result in wastage of reserved berths. A 60-day booking window is to reduce the chances of ticket hoarding, and to make more tickets available for genuine passengers.

IRCTC New Rules: Refund process on ticket cancellation is faster now

IRCTC has ensured that refunds on canceled train tickets will be processed within 2 days. Earlier, it was taking around 5 to 7 working days for refund of money in the account which was very frustrating for many passengers. Due to better banking coordination and up gradation in technology, faster refund is possible now. 

All the new rules made by indian railways are to make the journey of passengers easier, safer and secured. IRCTC is also ensuring that there is no misuse of tickets booking through OTP verification. Reduction in advance booking period and early refund of cancellations are also helpful steps by IRCTC for railway passengers.