What facilities are available for pregnant women on trains, and what rules has the Railways established?

If a pregnant woman needs to travel by train, it is crucial to be aware of specific Railway regulations. The Railways offers special facilities for pregnant women; here is what you need to know about them.

When pregnant women need to travel to another city for medical treatment or other purposes, they often prefer train travel to keep costs within their budget. Trains are used by a wide range of passengers—from children and the elderly to pregnant women. To ensure a comfortable journey for pregnant women, the Railways provides specific amenities. If you are unaware of the facilities available to pregnant women during train travel, here are the details:

Seat Allocation Across Coaches

Climbing up to or down from upper and middle berths can be difficult for pregnant women. To address this, Indian Railways designates specific lower berths for them across various coaches, ensuring a more comfortable journey.

• In Sleeper coaches, approximately 6–7 lower berths are designated.
• In 3AC coaches, approximately 4–5 lower berths are designated.
• In 2AC coaches, approximately 3–4 berths are designated.

The aim of allocating lower berths is to ensure that pregnant women do not have to repeatedly climb up and down if they need to use the restroom.

Booking Tickets via the Counter

Under current rules, if a pregnant woman wishes to travel by train, she (or a representative) should visit a Railway reservation center—specifically the PRS (Passenger Reservation System) counter—and fill out a form declaring the pregnancy. Doing so increases the chances of securing a lower berth under a special quota.

What if a lower berth is not available?

Seat allocation at the time of booking is based on the passenger’s age and condition; however, if all lower berths are already booked, the passenger can request one from the TTE during the journey by explaining their situation.