IRCTC New Rule on Online Ticket Booking: First 15 Minutes Reserved From October

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is introducing a major change in its online ticket booking system starting October 2025.

railway seat booking 

According to the new rule, the first 15 minutes of online ticket reservation will be exclusively reserved for a specific passenger category.

“IRCTC New Ticket Booking Rule:

This move is aimed at streamlining the ticketing process, improving convenience, and prioritizing certain sections of travelers who require confirmed tickets the most.

The decision has sparked widespread discussion among regular train passengers, travel agents, and frequent users of the IRCTC platform.

Why the Change Has Been Introduced

Indian Railways is the lifeline of the country, carrying over 2.3 crore passengers every single day.

With such massive demand, online ticket booking often sees heavy traffic, especially when booking opens at 8:00 AM for AC classes and 10:00 AM for Sleeper classes.

Within just a few minutes, seats get filled, while many passengers are left waiting with RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation) or waitlisted tickets.

According to officials, the new allocation window is designed to ensure fair access and cater to priority travelers such as senior citizens, women, defense personnel, or select government categories.

By designating the first 15 minutes exclusively for them, IRCTC aims to bring more order to the chaotic rush that usually happens at the opening of bookings.

How the New 15-Minute Rule Will Work

• The booking window for a train opens 120 days in advance.

• From 08:00 to 08:15 AM, IRCTC will lock ticket reservations for select categories.

• General passengers can only start booking after this exclusive window closes.

• Sleeper class and Tatkal tickets will also see structured timing changes to balance load.

This staggered booking policy has already been tested in a pilot phase and is now being rolled out nationwide from October.

Categories Expected to Get Priority

According to railway sources, the first 15 minutes reservation rule may apply to:

• Senior Citizens who often struggle to get confirmed berths.

• Divyang (differently-abled passengers) who require assured seating arrangements.

• Defense and paramilitary personnel traveling on duty.

• Women passengers under reserved quota.

By offering these passengers early access, the system aims to ensure inclusivity and fairness.

Benefits for Passengers

This rule is expected to bring multiple benefits:

• Reduced competition in initial minutes: Regular passengers won’t face the high-tech rush caused by bots and agents.

• Greater access to priority passengers: Senior citizens and other eligible categories will get a fairer chance at confirmed tickets.

• Balanced ticketing traffic: Staggered booking reduces server overload on IRCTC website and app.

Passenger Reactions to the New Change

The news has triggered mixed responses from commuters.

Many hailed the move as passenger-friendly and equitable, especially for senior citizens. Others expressed concerns that this would leave fewer seats available for general travelers once booking opens post-8:15 AM.

Frequent travelers highlighted that IRCTC should simultaneously work on tech infrastructure upgrades to prevent slowdowns, failed payments, and captcha delays during heavy rush hours.

IRCTC’s Efforts to Improve Booking Experience

IRCTC has been continuously upgrading its online booking system to handle more simultaneous logins and transactions.

Currently, the platform handles up to 25,000 online bookings per minute, but demand often exceeds this figure during peak periods.

Recent initiatives include:

• Two-factor authentication for safer logins.

• Auto-upgrade option for waitlisted passengers.

• Enhanced UPI and net banking integration for faster payments.

• AI-based monitoring to track unusual booking activity and prevent misuse by ticketing agents.

What It Means for General Passengers

For the average traveler, this means planning smarter.

Since the premium reservation window will no longer be available during the first 15 minutes, general passengers should be prepared to log in exactly at 8:15 AM (for AC classes) to stand a chance of securing confirmed tickets.

For highly demanded routes like Delhi-Mumbai or Patna-Kolkata, even this 15-minute difference could make a big impact.

Passengers may also need to rely more on Tatkal bookings, which open a day before travel, or explore alternate train services where availability is higher.

Comparison with the Old System

Earlier, all passengers had equal access from the moment booking opened, which caused a massive rush. In contrast, the new phased system ensures an initial exclusive window followed by general access. This staggered method is expected to bring structure, much like airport boarding priorities.

Possible Concerns and Way Forward

While the objective is noble, questions remain:

• Will regular passengers lose out on popular trains due to fewer available tickets after 8:15 AM?

• How will IRCTC ensure that misuse of the priority window does not occur?

• What categories will officially be included and how will verification work?

The Railways has promised transparency and clear communication before implementation. Passengers will be able to see the rules in detail on the official IRCTC website and through its mobile app.

Final Thoughts

The IRCTC 15-minute reserved booking window rule is a landmark reform in train ticket management. By aligning booking priorities with social inclusivity, the move seeks to make train journeys easier for the elderly, women, and defense personnel.

However, regular passengers may feel the pinch if not enough seats remain after the exclusive window.