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Indian Railways Tightens Travel Rules: New Regulation Announced, One Passenger ID Mandatory

Ritwik Dutta | February 8, 2026 11:11 PM CST

Railway passengers traveling in groups or as a family must now ensure that at least one member carries a valid ID during ticket checking. This applies to all bookings under a single PNR. Without identification, the group may be considered traveling without valid tickets, leading to difficulties during the journey.

Special Quotas Face Stricter Checks

Passengers traveling under special quotas or concessions are also required to carry valid proof to claim their entitlements. The rule, which applies to reserved train coaches, is already in effect, but stricter enforcement has now been directed. Railway Board Director of Passenger Marketing-II, Sanjay Manocha, has issued a circular to all zones, urging compliance. Indian Railways’ freight earnings for FY25 rose 1.61 per cent, reaching Rs 1.71 lakh crore, up from Rs 1.68 lakh crore in FY24, according to official data.

Passenger Traffic, Freight Growth Soars

The growth was driven by steady transportation of key commodities such as coal, iron ore, gunny sacks, and rice. Passenger traffic also saw a year-on-year surge of over 5 per cent, fueled by increased travel in reserved class coaches. A total of 715 crore passengers traveled between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025. While this figure remains below pre-Covid levels of 808.57 crore passengers in FY20, it reflects a 5.07 per cent rise from the 680.54 crore passengers recorded in FY24.

The Ministry of Railways attributed the growth to stronger demand for reserved travel and consistent freight movement across the country, signaling a steady recovery in rail operations.