Indian Railways has introduced a number of new measures to make train ticket booking simpler and more comfortable for passengers. Earlier this year, it launched the RailOne app, a single platform that allows users to book both reserved and unreserved tickets and access various railway services in one place.
In another move to make planning easier, the Railways has reduced the Advance Reservation Period (ARP). Passengers can now book tickets up to 60 days in advance instead of 120 days, excluding the day of travel. This step is aimed at helping travellers make shorter-term plans without worrying about long booking windows.
However, passengers continue to face issues when booking lower berths online. Many complain that even after selecting the “lower berth preference” option, they often receive upper or middle berths due to limited availability. To address this, the Railways has clarified its lower berth allocation rules.
According to the computerised reservation system, lower berths are automatically reserved for senior citizens, women above 45 years of age, and pregnant women, subject to availability at the time of booking. If these passengers are not allotted a lower berth during booking, train ticket examiners (TTEs) have the authority to reassign any vacant lower berths to them during the journey.
Passengers who want only a lower berth can also select the option “book only if lower berth is available” while booking online. This ensures that if no lower berth is available, the ticket will not be confirmed at all.
Indian Railways has also reminded passengers about its berth usage rules. In reserved coaches, berths can be used for sleeping only between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM. During the day, they should be kept in sitting position for the convenience of fellow passengers. For Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC) tickets, the side lower berth is shared by both passengers during the day. However, from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM, the lower berth passenger has exclusive right to sleep on it.
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Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
