RAC ending soon: Railways plans to scrap this train reservation facility; passengers may no longer have to share berths despite paying full fare

Indian Railways is examining the possibility of scrapping the Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC) facility, a decades-old provision that allows two passengers to share a single berth while paying the full ticket fare, according to a TOI report. The move is being considered amid concerns over passenger convenience and whether the existing arrangement is fair to travellers who do not receive a full sleeping berth despite paying the entire fare.

“There's a view that when a passenger isn't getting full sleeping space, it may not be appropriate to charge the full fare,” an official told TOI.

The proposal comes against the backdrop of concerns raised by a parliamentary panel, which has questioned the rationale behind charging RAC ticket holders the full fare despite providing them with shared accommodation.

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Why is Indian Railways considering scrapping the RAC facility?

One of the key concerns surrounding RAC tickets is that passengers are charged the full fare even though they do not receive an exclusive berth. Under the existing arrangement, two RAC passengers are allotted the same side-lower berth, which is converted into seating accommodation during the day and shared for sleeping at night.

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The arrangement can also lead to discomfort when a male and a female passenger are allotted the same berth. Train ticket examiners (TTEs) often face difficulties finding alternative accommodation in such situations, particularly when there are no vacant berths available.

The Railway Ministry is reportedly examining whether the existing provision needs to be reconsidered to improve passenger convenience and address these concerns.

What has the parliamentary panel said about RAC tickets?

The issue of charging full fares to passengers who receive only shared accommodation has also come under scrutiny by a parliamentary panel.

The panel has recommended that Indian Railways review the existing RAC arrangement and examine whether passengers should be charged the full fare when they are not provided with the benefit of an individual berth.

The recommendation has added to the debate over whether the decades-old facility remains suitable for the current railway reservation system.

What is RAC in Indian Railways and how does it work?

Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC) is a ticket status that allows passengers to travel in reserved coaches even when they have not secured a confirmed berth.

It occupies a position between confirmed tickets and waitlisted tickets. While waitlisted passengers generally cannot board reserved coaches unless their tickets are confirmed, RAC ticket holders are permitted to travel.

Under the system, two passengers are usually allotted one side-lower berth, which is converted into seating accommodation during the day. At night, the two passengers share the berth for sleeping.

If a passenger with a confirmed ticket cancels their reservation, an available berth may be allotted to an RAC passenger. This allows RAC ticket holders to get upgraded to a full berth, depending on cancellations and availability.

Why was the RAC facility introduced?

RAC was introduced when railway reservations were largely managed manually and there was no computerised system to track cancellations and vacant berths dynamically.

The arrangement allowed more passengers to travel on a train while making use of berths that could otherwise remain vacant following last-minute cancellations.

With the introduction of computerised reservation systems, berth allocation and upgrades became easier to manage. However, the RAC facility continued as part of the railway reservation system.

Whether Indian Railways eventually decides to discontinue the arrangement remains to be seen. For now, the possibility of scrapping RAC is under examination, and no final decision has been announced.


Inputs from TOI