Indian railway has hundreds of rules pertaining to ticket booking and train journeys. This makes it difficult to keep track of each and every rule. Most of us are aware of the basic rules, but there are several important ones that most people don’t know about. These rules can come handy in specific situations, which is why it’s good to be aware of them. Here are some important Indian railways rules that travellers generally don’t know.
Tatkal ticket refund: Earlier, there was no provision for getting refund on Tatkal ticket. However, according to new rules, you can now get refund on Tatkal ticket. You can claim refund on Tatkal ticket, if your train is late by more than three hours or if the route is changed and the train does not arrive at your station. Refund on Tatkal is also available in case the train is terminated before the destination station.
Absent at boarding station: Sometimes, halts at stations are very short and people have to climb a different bogie. In such cases, we often fear that our seat will be allotted to another passenger. However, the rule is that the TTE has to wait one hour or the next two stops (whichever is earlier) before allocating the seat to another passenger.
Middle berth sleeping hours: No one likes the middle berth, but travellers have no option but to grin and bear it. As per Indian railways rules, sleeping time for middle berth passengers is 10 PM to 6 AM. As a matter of fact, all sleeper berths have to follow this timeline.
Birds in train: If you have a bird pet, you will have to deposit the cage in the luggage van. Birds are treated as freight, which is why you cannot carry it in your regular coach. You will have to take full responsibility of the bird and ensure adequate supply of food and water to last the entire journey.
MRP of packaged food: It is clearly mentioned in Indian railways rules that all packaged food items and water bottles are to be sold at MRP. There is provision for hefty penalty and license cancellation in case any vendor violates these rules.
Lost ticket: In the age of mobile apps, SMS and email, it’s unlikely that you will lose your ticket. However, if you have a printed ticket and have lost it, you can get a duplicate ticket issued at the boarding station. You will have to provide identification proof and fill an application form. The authorities will verify your claims and issue the duplicate ticket 24 hours before the scheduled journey.
Extend your journey: If the need be, you can ask the TTE to extend your journey on the same train. The TTE will collect the additional fare amount and issue a forward journey ticket. It is possible that your berth might change in doing so.
Hope you will find these rules useful for your journeys. Share with your friends and family, so that they too can be aware of these important Indian railways rules.