If your train ticket is on the waiting list, you can no longer travel in sleeper or AC coaches. This new rule has been implemented by the Railways from May 1, 2025.
Now, passengers with waiting list tickets—whether booked online or at the counter—are allowed to travel only in general unreserved coaches.
If someone with a waiting ticket boards a sleeper or AC coach, they will face a fine.
A fine of up to ₹250 will be charged if caught in a sleeper coach.
A fine of up to ₹440 will be charged if caught in an AC coach.
Additionally, the Ticket Checking Staff (TTE) can ask such passengers to get down at the next station and also collect the fare from their boarding point to that station.
Ticket Booking Window Reduced to 60 Days
Railways has also changed the advance booking period. Earlier, tickets could be booked 120 days in advance, but now you can book only 60 days before the journey.
That means instead of 4 months, tickets can now be booked just 2 months in advance.
Mobile OTP Required for Online Booking
If you are booking your ticket online through the IRCTC website or app, it is now mandatory to verify using a mobile OTP.
This step is aimed at preventing fake bookings and ticket misuse.
Railways has introduced these new rules to control overcrowding in reserved coaches and to ensure that passengers have a safer and more comfortable journey.
So, next time you travel, make sure your ticket is confirmed. If it is on the waiting list, do not board sleeper or AC coaches, or you may be fined and asked to leave the coach.
