In a major push to make train travel smoother and more transparent, the Indian Railways is rolling out a host of passenger-friendly reforms, including a powerful new Passenger Reservation System (PRS) that will be able to handle over 1.5 lakh ticket bookings per minute — nearly five times the current capacity.
The new PRS, under development by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), is scheduled to be ready by December 2025, and is part of a wider transformation to make the train travel experience smart, seamless, and user-centric.
Faster Bookings, Fewer Uncertainties
Currently, the reservation system can process about 32,000 tickets per minute. The upgraded PRS, however, will be agile, scalable, and capable of handling 10 times the current load, ensuring faster response times even during peak booking hours such as Tatkal reservations.
Passengers will also see improvements in ticket enquiries. The new system is expected to support over 40 lakh enquiries per minute, up from the current 4 lakh — a significant leap that will reduce long waits and system crashes during high-traffic hours.
“The PRS will be multilingual and extremely user-friendly. It will support fare calendars, seat preferences, and special categories like Divyangjan, students, and patients,” said a senior Railway Ministry official.
Early Reservation Charts to Aid Waitlisted Passengers
In a move set to bring relief to lakhs of waitlisted passengers, the Indian Railways will now prepare reservation charts eight hours before a train’s departure, rather than the current four-hour window.
If a train departs before 2 p.m., the chart will be prepared at 9 p.m. the previous day, ensuring that passengers are informed about their ticket status well in advance.
“This will help travellers from remote areas or city outskirts plan better. Those with unconfirmed tickets will have more time to make alternate travel arrangements,” the official added.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who reviewed the proposal, has approved phased implementation to avoid disruption. He also directed the Railway Board to monitor its effectiveness during rollout.
Smart Authentication for Tatkal Bookings
To curb misuse and ensure fair access, Tatkal ticket bookings will now be available only to authenticated users on the IRCTC platform. Starting July 1, 2025, bookings will require a verified login, with further tightening expected via OTP-based authentication by the end of the month.
Minister Vaishnaw emphasized the need to use Aadhaar or other government IDs linked to DigiLocker for a secure and inclusive verification process.
“The idea is to broaden authentication while ensuring every genuine user can book safely and fairly,” he said during the recent PRS review meeting.
A Passenger-Centric Makeover
The minister also underscored the vision to build a passenger-centric ticketing ecosystem, one that reflects the evolving expectations of modern travellers. From faster bookings and early charting to inclusive access and smart verification, the Indian Railways is attempting a complete revamp of its digital backbone.
“The entire ticketing experience — from enquiry to booking to boarding — should be transparent, efficient, and accessible to all,” Vaishnaw noted.
What It Means for Passengers
- Faster ticket bookings (1.5 lakh/minute capacity) will reduce errors and improve chances of confirmation.
- Early chart preparation will end last-minute anxieties for waitlisted passengers.
- Smarter authentication will make Tatkal bookings more secure and accessible.
- User-friendly booking interface will benefit special categories and non-tech-savvy users alike.
As the PRS revamp progresses toward its 2025 deadline, Indian Railways is poised to deliver not just better technology, but a human-first travel experience — where convenience, clarity, and fairness take centre stage.
