Indian Railways limits waitlisted tickets to 25% in all classes

The new rule aims to reduce overcrowding, improve travel comfort, and remove uncertainty for passengers with non-confirmed tickets.

If you travel by train often, the Indian Railways’ new rule on waitlisted tickets will directly affect you. From now on, only 25% of the total seats in each class, including AC 1, AC 2, AC 3, sleeper, and chair car, will be issued as waitlisted tickets. Seats under different quotas, such as for senior citizens, women, and disabled passengers, will not be counted in this percentage.

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This change comes as part of a move to reduce overcrowding in reserved coaches and minimize the uncertainty of ticket confirmation. Railway officials said that earlier, when waitlists were much longer, many passengers with unconfirmed tickets boarded trains, causing inconvenience to those with confirmed seats.

Previously, as per 2013 rules, the waitlist limit was 30 in AC 1, 100 in AC 2, 300 in AC 3, and 400 in sleeper class. Now, each zonal railway will set its waitlist limit based on booking and cancellation trends. For instance, if 400 berths remain after applying various quotas, only 100 can be issued as waitlisted tickets.

Officials added that this decision will also reduce the mismatch between confirmed passengers and actual travellers, ensuring better planning during busy seasons.