Railways plans new PRS for 1.5 lakh tickets a minute, earlier charting and Tatkal authentication
On 29 June 2025 in New Delhi, the Ministry of Railways announced reforms reviewed by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw: a new Passenger Reservation System by December 2025, reservation charts eight hours before departure and authenticated-only Tatkal booking from 1 July 2025.
Summary
The Ministry of Railways announced ticketing reforms on 29 June 2025 after a review by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Reservation charts, now prepared four hours before departure, will be prepared eight hours before, and for trains departing before 1400 hours, at 2100 hours the previous day, implemented in phases. A modern Passenger Reservation System (PRS), being built by CRIS for December 2025, will allow over 1.5 lakh bookings per minute (about five times the current 32,000) and over 40 lakh enquiries per minute. Only authenticated users will be able to book Tatkal tickets on the IRCTC website and app from 1 July 2025, with OTP-based authentication for Tatkal from the end of July 2025.
Key facts
- Charting
- 8 hours before departure (now 4); trains before 1400 hrs: 2100 hrs previous day
- New PRS
- By December 2025; built by CRIS
- Booking capacity
- 1.5 lakh+/minute (from 32,000)
- Enquiry capacity
- 40 lakh+/minute (from 4 lakh)
- Tatkal
- Authenticated users only from 1 July 2025; OTP authentication from end-July 2025
Practice MCQs 3 questions
The new Passenger Reservation System planned by Indian Railways (June 2025) will allow how many ticket bookings per minute?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — Over 1.5 lakh
Ministry of Railways: the new PRS will allow over 1.5 lakh ticket bookings per minute, about five times the current 32,000.
Under the charting reform approved in June 2025, how long before departure will reservation charts generally be prepared?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — Eight hours
Ministry of Railways: the Railway Board proposed preparing the reservation chart eight hours before departure (currently four hours), and the Minister agreed.
Which organisation is building Indian Railways' upgraded Passenger Reservation System, due by December 2025?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — CRIS
Ministry of Railways: the PRS upgrade project is being executed for the last few months by CRIS.