Major Decision by Railways: Pass Holders Can Now Travel in Higher-Class Coaches

The Railway Board has provided significant relief to employees, pensioners, and their families. Railway pass holders can now travel in higher classes on premium trains—such as the Rajdhani, Duronto, and Shatabdi—by paying the fare difference.

If you are a railway employee or a retired railway employee entitled to a travel pass, there is good news for you. The Railway Board has reached a major decision regarding pass holders: railway employees, pensioners, and holders of 'widow passes' can now travel in a class higher than their standard entitlement on premium trains like the Rajdhani, Duronto, and Shatabdi.

Crucially, this is permitted simply by paying the difference in fare between the two classes. This decision resolves previous confusion regarding the rules and offers a clear benefit to railway employees, pensioners, and their families.

What is the new decision by the Railway Board?

The Railway Board has clarified that pass holders are permitted to travel in a class higher than their usual entitlement on premium trains such as the Rajdhani, Duronto, and Shatabdi. Previously, the 'Railway Servants (Pass) Rules, 1986' lacked clarity on whether railway employees and pensioners could use their complimentary passes for higher-class travel on premium trains; the Railway Board had been reviewing this matter.

Who is eligible for this facility?

According to the new directives from the Railway Board, this facility is available to three categories of pass holders:

Privilege Pass (PP): Issued to serving railway employees.
Post-Retirement Complimentary Pass (PRCP): Issued to retired railway employees.
Widow Pass (WP): Issued to the widows of eligible deceased railway employees. With these passes, eligible passengers will now be able to travel in a higher class than their entitled class on premium trains such as the Rajdhani, Duronto, and Shatabdi. However, they will be required to pay the fare difference.

Changes to the ticket booking system

The Railway Board has also directed the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) to implement necessary modifications to the Passenger Reservation System (PRS) and the e-pass module of the Human Resource Management System. The objective is to integrate this new facility into the ticket booking process. Consequently, pass holders will be able to travel in a higher class on premium trains by paying the fare difference, in accordance with the prescribed rules.