Indian Railways: Senior officials from the Railway Ministry have confirmed that there is no alterations to the rail travel regulations effective March 1, 2025. The existing rules will remain in effect. To assist passengers, the Railways has reiterated these regulations.
All regulations will continue unchanged
Officials emphasized that reports suggesting changes to rail travel rules from March 1 are inaccurate. All regulations will continue unchanged. It was noted that only passengers holding counter tickets are permitted to travel in general coaches, while those with online waiting tickets will not be allowed in these coaches.
Waiting ticket refund
Refunds for counter waiting tickets can be processed up to thirty minutes prior to the train’s departure. The Railway adopts a flexible approach in specific situations to enhance passenger convenience, although such relaxations are not standard practice. Passengers with waiting tickets are prohibited from traveling in sleeper and AC coaches, although the Ticket Collector may grant permission under exceptional circumstances.
In instances where multiple tickets are booked under the same PNR and one ticket is confirmed, passengers holding waiting tickets will not be permitted to travel. However, the Ticket Collector typically allows a maximum of two waiting ticket holders to occupy one confirmed seat. In these cases, the Railway is notified to ensure that waiting ticket holders do not receive refunds.
While the Railway is not modifying the current rules, it is exercising flexibility as needed for passenger convenience. Should any issues arise during your journey, you are encouraged to reach out to railway officials for assistance.