There is a major update for railway passengers. Indian Railways will slightly increase the fares of long-distance trains, including both AC and non-AC mail and express trains, starting July 1.
As per CNBC Awaaz, non-AC mail and express train fares will rise by 1 paisa per kilometer, while AC class fares will go up by 2 paisa per kilometer.
According to the new fare structure effective from July 1, 2025, there will be no changes in the fares of suburban trains
and monthly season tickets. Also, travel up to 500 km in ordinary second class will remain unaffected.
Tatkal ticket booking rules are also changing.
From July 1, 2025, Aadhaar authentication will be required for all Tatkal ticket bookings made through the IRCTC website and app.
This step, announced by the Ministry of Railways in a circular dated June 10, aims to stop misuse of the Tatkal scheme and ensure that only genuine passengers get these tickets.
The official notification states, “From 01-07-2025, tickets under the Tatkal scheme can be booked through the IRCTC website or app only by Aadhaar authenticated users.”
Additionally, starting July 15, 2025, passengers must complete an extra Aadhaar-based OTP verification step when booking Tatkal tickets.
The ministry has also introduced a new rule for IRCTC’s authorised booking agents. These agents will not be allowed to book Tatkal tickets during the first 30 minutes of the opening time.
This means they cannot book AC class tickets from 10 am to 10:30 am, and non-AC class tickets from 11 am to 11:30 am.
