Railways: If you get a half the RAC seat, why pay the full amount? Does the railway refund half the money?

RAC Rules: You may have noticed that your seat is shared with someone else when boarding a train. The ticket says RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation), and the question arises: why did you pay the full fare if you only got half the seating? Does the Railways refund half the fare, or is this the rule? Let's explore the story behind this half-seat and full fare.

RAC tickets mean that passengers have to share a seat, meaning two passengers can sit on one berth. If a passenger's ticket is cancelled or a berth remains vacant, the RAC passenger gets the full berth. But until that happens, two passengers have to share a seat.

Right to Travel on the Train
Now, regarding fares, the Railways charges the full fare for RAC tickets because the passenger has the right to travel on the train and a guaranteed seat (albeit half). According to railway rules, RAC tickets are considered in the same category as confirmed tickets, as passengers can travel on the train without any restrictions. This is why the railways do not reduce the fare on RAC tickets or refund half the fare. However, if a passenger cancels the ticket before the journey begins, some refund is available under the cancellation rules. However, it is not possible to claim half the fare after the train departs or after the journey.

Protecting Passengers from 'No-Travel-Loss'
According to railway officials, the purpose of the RAC facility is to prevent passengers from experiencing a 'no-travel-loss' situation, i.e., to allow passengers stuck on the waiting list to travel. This prevents railway seats from going vacant and provides passengers with the option to travel at the last minute.

Although a RAC ticket offers half a seat, it does not mean half a journey. Therefore, the railways charge the full fare because both the right to travel and the convenience of travel are guaranteed.

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