Passengers to Pay Extra for Excess Luggage on Trains: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav informed the Lok Sabha that passengers travelling by train will be charged if they carry luggage beyond the prescribed free allowance. The clarification was given while responding to a question raised by MP Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy, who asked whether Indian Railways plans to introduce baggage rules similar to those followed at airports.
The minister stated that Indian Railways already has clear, class-wise limits on the amount of luggage passengers are allowed to carry inside train coaches. These limits include both free allowance and the maximum quantity permitted.
Class-Wise Free Luggage Allowance and Maximum Limits
According to the information shared by the Railway Minister:
Passengers travelling in Second Class are allowed to carry up to 35 kg of luggage free of cost, while a maximum of 70 kg can be carried after paying extra charges.
For Sleeper Class passengers, the free luggage allowance is 40 kg, and the maximum permissible limit is 80 kg.
Passengers travelling in AC Three-Tier and Chair Car coaches are allowed 40 kg of luggage, which is both the free allowance and the maximum limit. No additional luggage is permitted beyond this limit.
In First Class and AC Two-Tier, passengers can carry 50 kg of luggage free of cost, with a maximum limit of 100 kg on payment of extra charges.
Passengers travelling in AC First Class are allowed to carry 70 kg of luggage free of cost, and up to 150 kg can be carried by paying the applicable charges.
The Railway Minister clarified that the maximum luggage limit includes the free allowance. He added that passengers carrying luggage beyond the free limit but within the maximum limit will have to pay 1.5 times the prescribed luggage rate.
Size Rules for Personal Luggage
Vaishnav also explained the size restrictions for personal baggage carried inside coaches. Trunks, suitcases, and boxes with dimensions up to 100 cm x 60 cm x 25 cm (length x width x height) are allowed as personal luggage.
If any one of these dimensions exceeds the prescribed size, such luggage will not be allowed inside the coach and must be booked separately in the brake van or parcel van.
The Railway Minister’s clarification highlights that passengers should check luggage limits and rules before travelling to avoid inconvenience and additional charges.
