When packing luggage for a train journey on the Indian railway, we often do not give a second thought and pack as much as we can as train luggage. However, just like flight travel, Indian railways also have many rules regarding train luggage that every passenger must follow. Clutter has always been a hassle when travelling in trains, but these Indian railway rules aim to reduce the clutter and provide a hassle-free journey.
General Luggage Rules
A few common luggage rules in the country are:
- Train luggage that is not legibly and fully addressed in Hindi or English will not be accepted by the train for carriage and booking.
- Luggage that is not securely packed will not be accepted by the Indian railways unless the authorized agent of the sender or the sender forwards a note that records the luggage is improperly packed or has defects.
- Train luggage that has to travel in the same train as the owner has to be present at least 30 minutes before the provided time of departure of the train at the booking station’s luggage office.
- When booking their tickets, passengers could also book their train luggage in advance, during the same time. There are options provided for this on the Indian railway luggage booking site.
- The luggage does not allow exploitation, flammable and dangerous substances, dead poultry, empty gas cylinders, acids, and other corrosive or harmful substances.
- Passengers who have oxygen cylinders for a medical reason must present a medical certificate, and, if provided, they will be permitted to book tickets for any class.
- Merchandised items are not allowed for carriage or booking as personal luggage in the compartment.
New Train Luggage Rules
A few new rules about train luggage brought about by the Indian railways are:
- Passengers in AC first class can take about 70 kilograms of train luggage without extra charges and pay extra for increased luggage to a maximum of 150 kilograms.
- Passengers of AC Two Tier can carry 50 kilograms of luggage for free and pay extra to carry more weight to 100 kilograms maximum.
- AC Chair Car and AC three-tier can carry only up to 40 kilograms of luggage in total, and this is for free,
- Passengers in sleeper class can carry 40 kilograms of luggage weight for free, with the maximum weight being 80 kilograms which they can access if they pay extra.
- Second class passengers can only carry a maximum weight limit for luggage, up to 35 kilograms, for free and can pay extra to carry up to 70 kilograms.
- Children between the ages of 5 and 12 can only carry half the allowance of free luggage no matter which class the ticket comes under. Moreover, the free allowance for children will not exceed over 50 kilograms.
- The train luggage also has to follow the following dimension: 100 cm X 60 cm X 25 cm. If the train luggage exceeds these measurements, the luggage will be sent to the luggage van even if the luggage’s weight comes under the free allowance.
Now that you know these rules, you can pack accordingly the next time you travel by train.