Indian Railways to Prepare Reservation Charts 8 Hours in Advance

New move aims to ease uncertainty for waitlisted passengers; major PRS upgrade and Tatkal reforms also underway

In a significant move aimed at improving passenger convenience, Indian Railways has announced that reservation charts will now be prepared 8 hours before a train’s departure instead of the current 4-hour window. This decision is expected to bring major relief to waitlisted passengers by offering earlier clarity on ticket status.

The change follows a review of the ticketing system reforms by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who emphasized the need for a smart, transparent, and efficient ticketing process centered around passenger comfort. The updated reservation timing will be implemented in a phased manner to ensure minimal disruption.

As per the new system, for trains scheduled to depart before 2 p.m., reservation charts will be generated the night before at 9 p.m. This will particularly benefit passengers from remote locations or suburban areas who often face difficulties making last-minute travel decisions.

Passengers with waitlisted tickets will now receive confirmation updates earlier, allowing them to plan better and seek alternatives if needed. The move is part of Indian Railways’ broader initiative to modernize its Passenger Reservation System (PRS).

The PRS is currently undergoing a major overhaul by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) and is expected to be fully upgraded by December 2025. Once implemented, the new system will be capable of booking over 1.5 lakh tickets and handling more than 40 lakh enquiries per minute. It will feature a multilingual, user-friendly interface and include fare calendars, seat preferences, and integrated options for Divyangjan, students, and patients.

In a further push for secure bookings, starting July 1, only authenticated users will be allowed to book Tatkal tickets on the IRCTC website and mobile app. By the end of July, OTP-based authentication using Aadhaar or any other verified government ID via DigiLocker will be mandatory for Tatkal bookings.