Railway ID Proof List: Valid Documents to Carry on a Train Journey
Every passenger travelling on a reserved ticket must carry an original photo ID and produce it when asked. Fail to do so and everyone booked on that ticket can be treated as travelling without a ticket and charged accordingly. This guide lists every accepted document, explains the DigiLocker rule that many travellers do not know about, and covers the Divyangjan photo identity card.
The rule in one line: At least one passenger on the ticket must carry one accepted photo ID in original throughout the journey. For a family or group travelling on the same ticket, one ID between them is enough.
Accepted Photo ID Documents
The same list applies whether you booked an e-ticket online or a counter ticket at a PRS window, and it applies to Tatkal tickets too.
| 1 | Voter photo identity card issued by the Election Commission of India |
| 2 | Passport |
| 3 | PAN card issued by the Income Tax Department |
| 4 | Driving licence issued by an RTO |
| 5 | Aadhaar, including m-Aadhaar and e-Aadhaar |
| 6 | Photo identity card with a serial number issued by the Central or State Government |
| 7 | Student identity card with photograph, issued by a recognised school or college |
| 8 | Nationalised bank passbook with photograph |
| 9 | Credit card issued by a bank with a laminated photograph |
| 10 | Photo identity card with serial number issued by a Public Sector Undertaking, District Administration, Municipal body or Panchayat Administration |
Two Additions for Counter Tickets Only
If your ticket was booked at a PRS reservation counter, two further documents are accepted:
- An attested photocopy of a ration card with photographs, for journeys in Sleeper (SL) and Second Reserved Sitting (2S) classes only.
- A photo identity card with serial number issued to advocates by the Bar Council.
DigiLocker: Digital ID Is Accepted, With One Condition
This is the point most travellers get wrong. The Ministry of Railways accepts Aadhaar and driving licence shown from DigiLocker as valid proof of identity, but only under a specific condition.
| Accepted | Documents in the “Issued Documents” section of your DigiLocker account, fetched directly from the issuing authority |
| Not accepted | Documents in the “Uploaded Documents” section, which you scanned and uploaded yourself |
Check this before you travel: A photo of your Aadhaar in your phone gallery, or a scan you uploaded to DigiLocker yourself, is not valid. The document must appear under Issued Documents, having been pulled from the issuing authority. Open the app and confirm which section yours sits in before you rely on it.
What Happens If You Cannot Show ID
If no passenger on the ticket can produce an accepted original ID when the ticket checking staff ask, all passengers on that ticket are treated as travelling without a ticket. That means paying the fare again along with a penalty. Photocopies and phone photographs do not satisfy the requirement, with the DigiLocker exception noted above.
Divyangjan Photo Identity Card
Passengers with disabilities who are entitled to railway concessions need a Divyangjan photo identity card to book concessional tickets, both online through IRCTC and at counters.
Applying Digitally
The application process has moved online, so you no longer need to visit a divisional headquarters in person. Broadly, the steps are:
- Register on the railway’s Divyangjan ID portal.
- Upload the required documents, which typically include the disability certificate, concession certificate, proof of date of birth, address proof, a photo ID and a photograph.
- The application goes through verification and approval.
- Once approved, the card can be downloaded and printed from the portal.
Before you apply: Confirm the current portal address and document requirements with your zonal railway or by calling 139, since the process and the required paperwork have changed over time and some zones handle parts of it differently.
Card Validity and Replacement
- Validity is generally five years from issue, or until the concession certificate expires, whichever comes first.
- Apply for renewal before the existing card expires, surrendering the old card when the new one is issued.
- If a card is lost, a replacement can be issued after the existing card is disabled, usually on submission of an FIR copy.
- Misuse leads to the card being disabled, after which no fresh bookings are possible on it.
For which concessions currently apply, see our railway concession rules guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all passengers need to carry ID?
No. At least one passenger on the ticket must carry an accepted original photo ID. For a group on one ticket, one ID between them suffices.
Is a photocopy of Aadhaar accepted?
No. The document must be produced in original. The one exception is a digital Aadhaar or driving licence shown from the Issued Documents section of DigiLocker.
Is a photo of my ID on my phone valid?
No. A gallery photograph is not accepted. Use DigiLocker, and make sure the document sits under Issued Documents rather than Uploaded Documents.
Is Aadhaar compulsory for train travel?
No. Aadhaar is one of several accepted documents, and any one from the list works. Aadhaar does matter separately for IRCTC booking limits and for booking in the first 15 minutes of general booking.
What ID do I need for a Tatkal ticket?
The same list applies. Carry the original of whichever document was recorded at booking.
Do children need ID?
Children travelling on the ticket are covered by the adult carrying ID. Age proof may be asked for where a child fare or free travel has been claimed.
What if I lose my ID during the journey?
Inform the ticket checking staff at once and explain the situation. The requirement is firm, so try to carry a second accepted document in separate luggage where you can.
Quick Summary
| Who must carry ID | At least one passenger per ticket |
| Condition | Original document, not a photocopy |
| Most used | Aadhaar, Voter ID, PAN, Passport, Driving Licence |
| DigiLocker | Accepted from Issued Documents only |
| Counter tickets | Ration card photocopy accepted for SL and 2S, plus Bar Council cards |
| Without ID | All passengers on the ticket treated as travelling without a ticket |
| Divyangjan card | Applied for digitally, valid around five years |
The ID rule is simple enough, but the DigiLocker distinction between Issued and Uploaded documents catches out a lot of travellers. Check that before you leave home, and carry the physical original if you have any doubt. For more, see our guides on counter booking, ticket booking and enquiry, and concession rules.
Has a checking officer ever questioned your ID? Tell us what happened in the comments, since readers often ask what counts in practice.
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