New Delhi, June 29: In a significant move aimed at enhancing passenger convenience and transparency, Indian Railways has announced that reservation charts will now be prepared 8 hours before a train's departure, doubling the lead time from the current 4-hour window.
The decision, which follows a comprehensive review of the ticketing system by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, is part of a broader push to make train travel more predictable and stress-free, especially for passengers holding waitlisted tickets.
Under the revised system, for trains departing before 2 p.m., charts will be prepared at 9 p.m. the previous night, giving travelers more time to plan and adjust. The change will be rolled out in phases to ensure a smooth transition across the network.
"This initiative is rooted in the idea that the ticketing process must be smart, transparent, and passenger-centric," said Minister Vaishnaw, adding that the goal is to make every step—from booking to boarding—more efficient.
Key Benefits for Passengers:
Waitlisted travelers will receive confirmation updates earlier.
Commuters from remote or suburban areas will have more time to check ticket status or make alternative arrangements.
The move brings greater predictability and planning ease to the travel experience.
PRS Overhaul by December 2025
The Indian Railways also announced a major upgrade to its Passenger Reservation System (PRS), expected to be completed by December 2025. Developed by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), the new PRS will be a tech-driven platform capable of handling:
1.5 lakh ticket bookings per minute
Over 40 lakh ticket enquiries per minute
It will feature a multilingual, user-friendly interface with tools like:
Fare calendars
Seat preference selection
Integrated support for Divyangjan, students, and patients
Enhanced Tatkal Booking Security
From July 1, Tatkal ticket bookings on the IRCTC website and mobile app will be available only to authenticated users. By the end of July, these bookings will require OTP-based verification through Aadhaar or other government IDs linked to DigiLocker.
