Tickets will not be available without an OTP; Tatkal booking rules have changed from today; learn the complete process.
Indian Railways: Starting December 1st, Tatkal ticket booking rules have changed. Tickets will only be booked after OTP verification. Currently, this rule has been implemented first on the Mumbai Central-Ahmedabad Shatabdi Express, and will be implemented on other trains later.
Indian Railways: If you travel by booking Tatkal train tickets, then this is important news for you. New rules for Tatkal ticket booking have come into effect today, December 1st. You will now need an OTP to book Tatkal tickets; only then will you be able to complete the ticket booking process. Currently, Western Railway has implemented this new rule on select trains; it will later be implemented across all railway zones. Western Railway shared information about this new rule on its official X account.
What is the new rule?
As per the Railway Board's directive, Western Railway has changed the Tatkal ticket booking process. Under this new rule, passengers will only be able to complete the ticket booking process after verifying the OTP (one-time password) sent by the system. This OTP will be sent to the number provided by the passenger during ticket booking. Ticket booking will only be confirmed after the OTP is verified. Therefore, provide a valid number when booking tickets to receive the OTP. This rule will be implemented for the Mumbai Central-Ahmedabad Shatabdi Express starting today.
Western Railway will be implementing an important modification in the Tatkal booking system in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Railway Board.
— Western Railway (@WesternRly) November 28, 2025
Tatkal tickets for Train No. 12009/12010 Mumbai Central - Ahmedabad Shatabdi Express will now be issued only after… pic.twitter.com/u96p4VIYYz
How will the new OTP verification system work?
This new railway rule is very simple. Passengers will not face any problems. Under this new rule, as soon as passengers enter their mobile number for Tatkal ticket booking, the railway system will send an OTP to that number. The passenger will then need to enter the OTP. Once the OTP is entered, the booking process will proceed and the ticket will be confirmed.
Which platforms will the new system be implemented on?
This new rule will be implemented today on all booking platforms, from the IRCTC website to the IRCTC mobile app, computerized PRS counters, and authorized railway agents. This means that whether you book tickets online or at an offline counter, you must follow the OTP verification process.
Why was the new rule introduced?
The Railways believes that this new rule will bring transparency to Tatkal bookings and benefit passengers who truly need tickets immediately. Furthermore, this new rule will also curb the malpractices in Tatkal ticket booking. In recent times, there have been numerous complaints about Tatkal ticket bookings, all of which were booked within minutes of the opening of booking slots. This is because, for their own benefit, some brokers and agents would book large numbers of tickets simultaneously, preventing ordinary passengers from getting tickets. To prevent this from happening, the Railway Board has implemented the OTP-based Tatkal ticketing system. With this, passengers will now be sent an OTP during ticket booking, which will only be used to book tickets. Furthermore, multiple tickets cannot be booked using the same number.
