Indian Railways May Scrap RAC Ticket System: Passengers Could Soon Get Relief From Sharing Berths Despite Paying Full Fare
Indian Railways is examining the possibility of eliminating its decades-old Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC) facility, a move that could bring significant relief to millions of train passengers across the country. The proposed change comes amid growing concerns over passenger comfort and the fairness of charging the full ticket fare when travellers are not provided with an individual sleeping berth.
Under the existing RAC system, two passengers are generally allotted the same side-lower berth. Both passengers are permitted to travel in the reserved coach, but they must share the available space for sitting and sleeping. Despite receiving only shared accommodation, both passengers are charged the full ticket fare.
The issue has increasingly attracted attention because passengers travelling on long-distance and overnight trains often face considerable inconvenience. Sharing a single berth with an unknown co-passenger can become particularly uncomfortable during journeys lasting several hours or even multiple days.
The arrangement has also raised concerns regarding privacy and personal comfort, especially when male and female passengers are allotted the same shared berth. Train Ticket Examiners (TTEs) frequently face difficulties arranging alternative accommodation when no vacant berths are available.
The controversy has gained further momentum following concerns raised by a parliamentary committee. The Public Accounts Committee has questioned the practice of collecting the full fare from RAC passengers who do not receive an individual sleeping berth. It has recommended that the Railway Ministry consider a mechanism for providing partial fare refunds to passengers who continue to travel on RAC status without receiving a full berth.
A senior railway official has indicated that the existing arrangement is being examined from the perspective of passenger convenience and fare fairness. The central question is whether it is appropriate to charge the complete fare when a passenger does not receive the full sleeping accommodation normally associated with the ticket.
RAC was originally introduced to make better use of railway accommodation during a period when reservations were largely managed manually. The system allowed additional passengers to travel by utilising berths that became available following ticket cancellations or when confirmed passengers failed to board their trains.
With the development of computerised reservation systems, tracking cancellations and reallocating vacant berths has become considerably easier. However, the RAC arrangement has continued despite major changes in railway reservation technology.
If the proposed reform moves forward, Indian Railways could consider alternative arrangements, including providing individual accommodation, introducing revised fare structures or offering partial refunds to passengers who do not receive full berths. However, no final replacement mechanism has been officially confirmed.
Interestingly, the upcoming Vande Bharat Sleeper trains have been designed without the traditional RAC provision. This indicates a different approach to accommodation allocation in these premium sleeper services.
For now, passengers should not assume that RAC tickets have been abolished. Indian Railways has not announced any final decision or implementation date regarding the discontinuation of the existing system. The current RAC reservation rules therefore continue to apply.
The proposed review could nevertheless become an important development in Indian Railways’ efforts to improve passenger convenience, transparency and fairness in ticket pricing. Millions of travellers will be watching closely to see whether the railway authorities finally replace the decades-old practice of sharing a single berth while paying the full ticket fare.
