New Delhi, Nov 13:
The Railway Board is holding intensive deliberations to overhaul the Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC) ticketing system following widespread passenger grievances over being charged full ticket fare despite being allotted only half a berth during overnight train journeys.
Under Indian Railways’ current reservation mechanism, once confirmed berths in sleeper and air-conditioned coaches are exhausted, RAC tickets are issued against anticipated cancellations.
Under this arrangement, two passengers are assigned to share a single side-lower berth—allowing both travellers to board the train and occupy sitting space, with the expectation of an upgrade to a full berth if confirmed ticket holders cancel their bookings.
However, if cancellations fall short before chart preparation, both passengers are forced to travel through the night sharing a single berth while paying the entire ticket fare.
In addition to financial fairness, passengers and consumer forums have repeatedly flagged privacy, comfort, and safety concerns, particularly when unrelated male and female passengers are allotted the same shared berth on long-distance routes.
Taking cognisance of these complaints as well as parliamentary committee observations on rationalising RAC fares, the Railway Board is examining potential reforms, including partial fare refunds for unupgraded RAC passengers, revised berth-sharing norms, and dynamic seat allocation adjustments to ensure a fairer and more comfortable travel experience.