Indian Railways RAC Ticket Facility May Be Discontinued: What It Means For Passengers And Why It Is Under Review
Indian Railways may soon reconsider its long-standing RAC ticket facility, potentially changing the way millions of passengers secure train reservations. The Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC) system currently allows two passengers to share a single side-lower berth while paying the full ticket fare. However, concerns over passenger comfort and the fairness of this arrangement have prompted the Railway Ministry to examine whether the system should continue. Although discussions about scrapping RAC are underway, no final decision has been announced yet. Here is a closer look at how the RAC ticket facility works, why it was introduced and what changes Indian Railways is considering.
According to a report by The Economic Times, citing The Times of India, the Railway Ministry is examining the possibility of discontinuing the existing RAC arrangement. A major point of concern is that passengers who do not receive an independent sleeping berth still have to pay the complete ticket fare.
The issue has also attracted attention from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). In February 2026, the parliamentary panel reportedly questioned the practice of collecting full fares from RAC passengers who continue to hold RAC status even after the preparation of the final reservation chart.
As reported by The Indian Express, the committee recommended that the Railway Ministry consider introducing a mechanism to provide partial fare refunds to passengers who are not allotted a full berth.
A report published by The Week on November 13 highlighted several alternatives being considered. These include allotting individual berths to passengers, introducing reduced fares for shared accommodation and developing a separate system for upgrading berth allocation.
RAC is positioned between a confirmed ticket and a waitlisted ticket. Passengers with confirmed tickets receive a dedicated berth, while those on the waiting list generally need their tickets to get confirmed before they can travel in reserved accommodation.
RAC passengers, on the other hand, are permitted to board the train and travel with reserved seating accommodation. However, they are not guaranteed an individual sleeping berth.
The key advantage of an RAC ticket is that passengers can undertake their journey even if their reservation does not get upgraded to confirmed status.
During the daytime, the berth serves as seating accommodation for both passengers. At night, the two passengers are expected to share the available space for sleeping.
However, an RAC ticket can become a confirmed reservation if a berth becomes available following the cancellation of an existing booking.
For instance, when a passenger with a confirmed reservation cancels their ticket, the vacant berth may be allotted to an RAC passenger according to the applicable reservation priority and availability.
This process can continue even after the preparation of the reservation chart, depending on the availability of accommodation and railway rules. If a passenger's RAC status does not change, they can still travel using the accommodation originally allotted to them.
As explained by The Indian Express, passengers may receive confirmation either before or after chart preparation if a suitable berth becomes available.
In the earlier days, when railway reservations were largely handled manually, cancellations could leave several berths vacant. However, identifying these vacancies and reallocating them efficiently was a challenge.
RAC provided a practical solution by allowing two passengers to share a single side-lower berth. This helped the Railways accommodate additional travellers while making use of sleeping spaces that could otherwise remain unoccupied.
The system continued even after Indian Railways introduced computerised reservation facilities. With digital reservation systems making it easier to track cancellations and allocate vacant berths, RAC remained an important part of the railway ticketing process.
However, changing passenger expectations and concerns about the quality of travel have now brought the system under fresh scrutiny.
Some of the alternatives reportedly being examined include:
For now, passengers can continue booking and travelling with RAC tickets under the existing rules. Any decision to modify or discontinue the facility will depend on the Railway Ministry's final announcement.
Why Is Indian Railways Reviewing RAC Tickets?
The Indian Railways RAC ticket facility is reportedly under review because of concerns about the accommodation provided to passengers and the fare they are charged.According to a report by The Economic Times, citing The Times of India, the Railway Ministry is examining the possibility of discontinuing the existing RAC arrangement. A major point of concern is that passengers who do not receive an independent sleeping berth still have to pay the complete ticket fare.
The issue has also attracted attention from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). In February 2026, the parliamentary panel reportedly questioned the practice of collecting full fares from RAC passengers who continue to hold RAC status even after the preparation of the final reservation chart.
As reported by The Indian Express, the committee recommended that the Railway Ministry consider introducing a mechanism to provide partial fare refunds to passengers who are not allotted a full berth.
A report published by The Week on November 13 highlighted several alternatives being considered. These include allotting individual berths to passengers, introducing reduced fares for shared accommodation and developing a separate system for upgrading berth allocation.
What Is RAC In Indian Railways?
RAC stands for Reservation Against Cancellation. It is a special ticket category offered by Indian Railways that allows passengers to travel in reserved coaches even when a full sleeping berth is not available at the time of booking.RAC is positioned between a confirmed ticket and a waitlisted ticket. Passengers with confirmed tickets receive a dedicated berth, while those on the waiting list generally need their tickets to get confirmed before they can travel in reserved accommodation.
RAC passengers, on the other hand, are permitted to board the train and travel with reserved seating accommodation. However, they are not guaranteed an individual sleeping berth.
The key advantage of an RAC ticket is that passengers can undertake their journey even if their reservation does not get upgraded to confirmed status.
How Does The RAC Ticket System Work?
Under the current Indian Railways reservation system , two passengers holding RAC tickets are generally allotted the same side-lower berth.During the daytime, the berth serves as seating accommodation for both passengers. At night, the two passengers are expected to share the available space for sleeping.
However, an RAC ticket can become a confirmed reservation if a berth becomes available following the cancellation of an existing booking.
For instance, when a passenger with a confirmed reservation cancels their ticket, the vacant berth may be allotted to an RAC passenger according to the applicable reservation priority and availability.
This process can continue even after the preparation of the reservation chart, depending on the availability of accommodation and railway rules. If a passenger's RAC status does not change, they can still travel using the accommodation originally allotted to them.
As explained by The Indian Express, passengers may receive confirmation either before or after chart preparation if a suitable berth becomes available.
Why Did Indian Railways Introduce The RAC Facility?
The RAC system was originally introduced to make better use of available railway accommodation and accommodate more passengers.In the earlier days, when railway reservations were largely handled manually, cancellations could leave several berths vacant. However, identifying these vacancies and reallocating them efficiently was a challenge.
RAC provided a practical solution by allowing two passengers to share a single side-lower berth. This helped the Railways accommodate additional travellers while making use of sleeping spaces that could otherwise remain unoccupied.
The system continued even after Indian Railways introduced computerised reservation facilities. With digital reservation systems making it easier to track cancellations and allocate vacant berths, RAC remained an important part of the railway ticketing process.
However, changing passenger expectations and concerns about the quality of travel have now brought the system under fresh scrutiny.
What Could Change If Indian Railways Scraps RAC?
If the Railway Ministry decides to discontinue the existing RAC arrangement, passengers could see significant changes in the reservation process.Some of the alternatives reportedly being examined include:
- Individual berth allocation: Instead of allowing two passengers to share one side-lower berth, the Railways could explore providing a separate berth to each passenger.
- Reduced fares: Passengers travelling with shared accommodation could be charged a lower fare instead of paying the full ticket price.
- Partial fare refunds: A refund mechanism could be introduced for passengers who remain in the RAC category even after the final chart is prepared.
- A revised upgrade system: Indian Railways could consider a different arrangement for allocating vacant berths and upgrading passengers from RAC status.
For now, passengers can continue booking and travelling with RAC tickets under the existing rules. Any decision to modify or discontinue the facility will depend on the Railway Ministry's final announcement.
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