Indian Railways is one of the largest means of transportation in India connecting every part of the country. Millions of people use trains daily in their daily travels. On the other hand freight trains transport many items necessary for daily life in India including raw agricultural products to industrial materials fueling the nation’s economy. Over the years Indian Railways has modernised itself with High-Speed Trains (HST) developed Digital Ticketing Systems (DTS) as well as upgraded its Freight Logistics improving service efficiency for both passengers and freight customers.

However if you prefer long-distance travel via train and carry more luggage than necessary this piece of news is especially important for you. Now passengers are required to pay extra charges if they carry luggage beyond the prescribed limit during train journeys. The railways have made a big announcement. In other words railway baggage rules for train travel will now become more stringent similar to those in air travel.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday that passengers need to pay charges for carrying luggage beyond the prescribed free allowance limits while travelling by train.

Vaishnaw was responding to questions raised by MP Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy who sought to know whether Railways would implement baggage regulations for train passengers on the lines of practice being followed at airports reported news agency PTI.

In a written reply while providing class-wise free allowance and maximum limits in a tabular format Vaishnaw stated At present class-wise maximum limit has been prescribed for carriage of luggage by the passenger along with him/her inside the compartments.

As per the information shared a passenger travelling in Second Class can carry 35 kg of luggage free of cost and up to 70 kg on a chargeable basis. Passengers travelling in Sleeper Class have a free allowance of 40 kg with a maximum permissible weight of 80 kg.

Passengers with tickets for AC 3 Tier or Chair Car are allowed to bring 40 kg of baggage free of charge which also represents the maximum amount of baggage allowed.

First Class and AC 2 Tier passengers are permitted to carry 50 kg of luggage free of cost and up to 100 kg as the maximum limit. AC First Class passengers can carry 70 kg free of cost and up to 150 kg on a chargeable basis. Vaishnaw added The maximum limit includes free allowance.



Class
Free Luggage Allowance (kg)
Maximum Luggage Limit (kg)




Second Class
35
70 (chargeable)


Sleeper Class
40
80 (chargeable)


AC 3 Tier / Chair Car
40
40


First Class / AC 2 Tier
50
100 (chargeable)


AC First Class
70
150 (chargeable)



Passengers are allowed to book and carry excess luggage beyond free allowance with him/her in the compartment up to the maximum limit as per class as tabulated above on payment of charges at 1.5 times of luggage rate” he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

As per Vaishnaw trunks suitcases and boxes having outside measurements of 100 cmx60cmx25 cm (length x breadth x height) are allowed to be carried in the passenger compartments as personal luggage. If the trunks suitcases and boxes whose outside measurement exceeds any one of the dimensions such articles are required to be booked and carried in the brakevan (SLRs)/ parcel vans and not in the passengers compartments the minister clarified. He further said that merchandised items are not allowed for booking and carriage in the compartment as personal luggage. Furthermore the minister reiterated the Railways norms that excess luggage over and above the prescribed limit is carried in the brake van (SLRs) of the trains subject to the maximum limit prescribed to be booked in brake vans as luggage.