Railways made big change, who will get lower berth?

New Delhi: Indian Railways constantly introduces new rules for its passengers. Sometimes, it even changes old rules. Keeping passenger convenience in mind, Indian Railways has taken several major steps to simplify and make the ticket booking process more transparent. In early 2025, the Railways launched the RailOne app.

This app works well and is recognised as a super app. It makes booking not only reserved but also unreserved tickets easy. Now, it’s crucial to know who will receive a lower berth. This app also serves as a one-stop solution for various passenger services. Now, a new rule has been introduced regarding the allocation of lower berths. Learn about it.

New Rule Regarding Lower Berths in Coaches

Many times, passengers complain about being assigned a middle or upper berth seat on the side despite selecting the lower berth preference option when booking tickets online. Therefore, it is important to understand the Indian Railways’ lower berth reservation process thoroughly to eliminate confusion.

According to Indian Railways regulations, lower berths are allocated to senior citizens, women over 45 years of age, and pregnant women. This system is specifically designed to allocate these seats. However, this privilege depends on seat availability.

According to the Railways, if a lower berth is not available at the time of booking, a senior citizen or an eligible woman is provided with an upper-middle berth. Furthermore, the TTE has been given certain powers. If a lower berth is vacant during the journey, the TTE can allocate it to a passenger.

Rules for Sitting on Lower Berths

Indian Railways has certain rules for sitting on lower berths. Sleeping hours in reserved coaches are fixed from 10 pm to 6 am. During this time, passengers are allowed to sleep on their assigned berths. Additionally, seating arrangements are available during the day.

For those with RAC tickets, a provision exists whereby a passenger on a side lower berth can share a seat during the day. This means that from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM, only the passenger on the lower berth will have access to the lower berth.