Key facts
- The new IRCTC website is expected to launch by July 15, 2026.
- Booking capacity will increase from 32,000 to over 1.5 lakh tickets per minute.
- Enquiry capacity will rise from 4 lakh to over 40 lakh enquiries per minute.
- Passengers will be able to select preferred seats during booking.
- A fare calendar will help users compare ticket prices across different dates.
- The platform will support multiple languages.
Indian Railways is preparing to launch a significantly upgraded IRCTC website by July 15, 2026, aiming to address issues of slow performance and website crashes during peak booking hours. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the upcoming launch, which is part of a broader effort to enhance the passenger reservation infrastructure.
The revamped system is designed to handle a much larger volume of bookings and enquiries. The new website will boast a booking capacity of over 1.5 lakh tickets per minute, a nearly five-fold increase from the current 32,000. Ticket enquiry capacity is also set to jump tenfold, from 4 lakh to over 40 lakh enquiries per minute, which should reduce delays when checking train availability and fares.
Passengers can expect several new features, including the ability to select preferred seats, a fare calendar to compare prices across dates, and a multilingual interface to improve accessibility. The system will also offer integrated facilities for special categories like Divyangjan passengers, students, and patients. While specific Tatkal booking rule changes were not detailed, the increased capacity is anticipated to alleviate slowdowns and payment failures commonly experienced during high-demand periods.