You can also contact the Enquiry Counters at your nearest Computerized Reservation Centre or call 139 from your mobile, landline phone to The Interactive Voice Response System, available at major stations. Remember to always quote the 10 digit PNR Number indicated on the upper left hand corner of your ticket, to find
out the current status.

The railway telephone enquiry system is automated telephone enquiry system, which gives you details of accommodation availability and the current status of your tickets. Dial 139 from any mobile, landline phone of any network to get detail.

The detailed rules, procedures, entitlement, purposes, etc for grant of concession are contained under different serial numbers in IRCA Coaching Tariff, Part I (Vol. II) which can be purchased from the General Secretary, I.R.C.A., Chelmsford Road, New Delhi. For any complaints or clarifications, the General Manager or the Chief Commercial Superintendent of the concerned Zonal Railway Administration should be approached. The important general rules for concession, in reference to the above mentioned Tariff, are as under:

1. (a) All concessional fares shall be calculated on the basis of fares for Mail/Express trains irrespective of the type of train, i.e. Mail or Express or Passenger, by which the passenger travels.

(b) Concession shall not be granted for any journey the cost of which is borne by the Central or State Government or a local authority or a Statutory body or a Corporation or a Government Undertaking or a University.
However, the students participating in the tournaments held or recognized by the schools or universities will be eligible to the concession.

(c) Concession shall be admissible only in respect of basic fares. No concession is admissible in respect of other charges, viz. super fast surcharge, reservation fee, etc. However, in cases where concession has been allowed in Rajdhani/Shatabdi/Jan Shatabdi trains, the concession shall be admissible in the total charges (including catering) of these trains.

Ministry of Railways have decided that “concession wherever admissible and child fare in the case of rajdhani/shatabdi/jan shatabdi/duronto express trains may be granted only in the basic fare like other mail/express trains and all other charges (catering charges, reservation charges, supplementary charges like superfast surcharge, enhanced reservation charges, taxes (if any) shall be collected in full”

these changes will come into force for tickets purchased for the journey from 01-04-2013. (vide railway board circular no.tcii/2941/11/policy dated 26.10.2012)

(d) The concessions will be admissible subject to the minimum distance of 300 Kms, except in the case of students, blind, orthopaedically handicapped/paraplegic persons, TB and Cancer patients, Kidney patients, non-infectious leprosy patients, mentally retarded persons, thalassamia major disease patients, Heart, Hemophilia Patients, War Widows, Widows of IPKF, Widows of martyrs of operation Vijay 1999 (Kargil), Widows of defence personnel killed in action against terrorists & extremists, National Awardee Teachers, Shram Awardee Industrial Workers, Widows of Policemen killed in action against terrorists & extremists, Senior Citizens, Allopathic Doctors, parents accompanying the National Bravery Awardee child, Police Medal Awardees, Dronacharya Awardees coaches, sportsmen, Unemployed Youths for attending interviews for jobs, and their escorts, wherever admissible under the rules, in whose case the above mentioned distance restriction will not apply. However, the distance restrictions otherwise applicable to general public for travel in each individual train will apply for issue of concessional tickets also.

2. Only one type of concession is admissible at a time at the choice of passenger and no person is allowed two or more concessions simultaneously.

3. (a) Break of journey en-route shall not be allowed on a concession ticket for a journey for a specific purpose viz. a student traveling to/from an examination Centre, a Cancer patient traveling to/from a hospital, a professor traveling to/from a Conference, etc. It is allowed only where a break of journey is a natural event.

(b) Passengers breaking their journey are required to have their ticket endorsed from the Station Master where journey is broken.

(c) Passengers terminating journey en route, must surrender their ticket at the station where the journey is terminated. Refund for the untravelled portion on such tickets will not be allowed.

4. Except Senior Citizens, concession on Indian Railway will be admissible on production of the requisite certificate from the concerned Person/Organization in India and the documents issued by persons/organizations in other countries shall not be valid for the purpose of concession.

5. In the case of Senior citizens, no proof of age is required at the time of purchasing tickets. Concession tickets are issued on demand made through the option in reservation form. However, they are required to carry some documentary proof showing their age or date of birth and produce it if demanded by some Railway Official during the journey. Any document issued by any Government Institution/ Agency/Local Body, like Identity Card, Ration Card, Driving Licence, Pass Port, Educational certificate, certificate from Panchayat/Corporation/ Municipality, or any other authentic & recognized document, is acceptable for this purpose. The Pass Port issued by foreign countries is also valid.

6. The holder of a concession ticket is not permitted to change the ticket to a higher class even by paying the difference of actual fares. However, the categories of persons eligible for concession in first class (and not in AC 2-tier) can purchase tickets for AC 2-tier sleeper also on payment of the first class concessional fare plus difference of actual fares of AC 2-tier sleeper & first class.

7. Save as otherwise specifically provided, concession is not admissible in season tickets, circular journey tickets and prestigious trains like Rajdhani Express, Shatabdi Express, etc. which have separate all inclusive fare structure. Concession is admissible to any one in Garib Rath Express trains.

8. In case where concessional Single/Return Journey Tickets or Season tickets or Circular journey tickets are to be issued for two or more persons, the concessional fare shall be calculated separately for each person.

9. All the concessions are to be granted across the counters at Stations/ Reservation Offices/Booking Offices only. If some person enters the train without ticket or without proper ticket or extends journey on concession ticket or changes the concession to higher class, etc., he shall not be granted any concession in train, even if he is otherwise eligible for it under the rules.

CONCESSION IS ADMISSIBLE TO THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES OF PERSONS

* All concessions applicable in Basic Mail/Express fares, unless otherwise stated

1. Dogs when carried in the break-van and/or A.C.C. and first class
   passenger compartments will be charged for at Scale ‘L'(luggage Rates)on the
   basis of weights indicated below, subject to a minimum charge of Rs.10/- per
   dog, charges being Prepaid: When carried in break_van (Dog-Box) 30 Kgs When
   carried in passengers compartments 60 Kgs "Seeing Eye" dog traveling with a
   blind person in the compartment (First class) will, however, be charged the
   same tariff as for dogs carried in brake_van. The dogs must be provided with
   Collars and Chains. Owners should make their own arrangements for food and
   water for the dog during the journey. Dogs detected unbooked will be charged
   at six times the Luggage Scale Rate subject to a minimum of Rs.50/-
2. A passenger traveling in First Air condition class or first class may
   take a dog into the compartment only with the concurrence of fellow
   passengers on payment of charges vide Clause(1) above. The charges are to be
   prepaid. If fellow passengers subsequently object to the dog remainig in the
   compartment, it will be removed to the Guard’s van, no refund being given.
   Dogs detected unbooked with the passenger in IA and Ist class compartments
   will be charged six times the Luggage scale Rate subject to a minimum of
   Rs.50/-. A lady travelling alone with children under 12 years of age in a
   first class compartment may take with her in the compartment one dog on
   payment of charges at the Dog Box Rates,subject to a minimum of
   Rs.10/-provided that if another lady enters the compartment, the dog can
   only be allowed to remain in the compartment with her consent. Any dog
   detected unbooked will be charged at double the dog-box rate for the
   distance up to the point of detection and at the dog-box rate for the
   distance beyond the total charge being subject to a minimum of Rs.20/- for
   each dog.
3. Dogs are not allowed to be carried in ACC Sleeper Coaches, Acc chair car
   coaches sleeper class and second class coaches.If a dog is found being
   carried in contravention of this rule, it will be removed immediately to the
   brake-van and charges will be levied six times the Luggage Scale Rate
   subject to a minimum of Rs.50/-
4. Charge for dog carried in reserved compartments will be levied at the
   dog-box rate. Any dog tetected unbooked will be charged six times the
   Luggage Scale Rate subject to a minimum of Rs.50/-
5. Large dogs which cannot be carried in the dog-box of a brake van will be
   carried in a special vehicle at the same rates and conditions as for horses.

RULES FOR CARRYING PETS,DOGS,HORSES OTHER LIVE ANIMALS AND BIRDS RISK :

Under section 77-A of the Indian Railway Act, the liability of Railways as carriers of animals is limited as specified below, unless the sender elects to pay the percentage charge on value as shown in the Rule 1301: Per Head Elephants Rs.1500/- Horses Rs.750/- Mules, Camels or Horned Cattle Rs.200/- Donkeys, sheep, goats, dogs and other animals or birds Rs.30/-

The sender or his authorized agent is required to declare the value of each animal on the Forwarding Note when the value of an animal exceeds the amount specified above.The sender or his authorized agent must also record in the Forwarding Note whether he engages to pay the notified percentage charge on value. Should he elect no to pay the notified percentage value on value, the animal will be accepted for carriage under the terms and conditions of Section 77-A of Indian Railway Act.

The Railway will not be liable for the loss, destruction or damage arising from freight or restiveness of the animal or from overloading of vehicle or wagon by the consignor or his agent or delay not caused by the negligence or misconduct of their servants, irrespective of whether the sender has engaged to pay the percentage charge on value or not.

Railway will not be responsible for the loss, destruction, damage, deterioration or non_delivery of animals after the termination of transit as defined in Rule 153.

LUGGAGE GETS STOLEN EN ROUTE :
IN case of theft of luggage, robbery / dacoits in running trains, you can approach train conductors/coach attendant/guards or GRP escort. They will give you the FIR Forms ,which may be duly filled in and handed over to them. The complaint will then be forwarded to the Police Station for necessary action. You need not break your Journey to lodge a complaint with the police .you can also approach the RPF Assistance Posts at major railway stations, for any assistance in lodging the complaint.

LUGGAGE IS LOST OR DAMAGE :
Where value of the luggage booked has not been declared beforehand by the consignor and the prescribing percentage charge not paid the monetary liability of the railways has been limited to Rs. 100/- per Kg. However, where the consignor has declared the value of the consignment and has also paid percentage charges, he will be entitled to get the claimed amount which will not exceed the value of the luggage so declared at the time of booking . The procedure of payment of percentage charge can be enquired from the luggage booking office.

THEFT OF LUGGAGE :
A prescribed FIR Form in English, Hindi and regional Language is available in the Timetable or with ‘TTEs/Guards or GRP escort. After filling it up, the form may be handed over to one of the official viz., TTE, Guard or GRP escort for registration of the report at the next police station.

Passenger are allowed to book and carry excess luggage beyond the free allowance with them in the compartment up to the maximum limit as per class mentioned above on payment of charge at 1.5 times of luggage rate.

When a passenger is detected either en route or at the destination with un booked or partially booked luggage weighing more than the free allowance, the excess un booked weight exceeding free allowance of luggage is charged at six times the luggage scale rate instead of 6 times of scale -R as earlier. However, if un booked or partially booked luggage is detected more than the free allowance of then luggage but within the marginal allowance, it is charged at 1.5 times the luggage scale rate. when a passenger is detected either en route or at destination with un booked or partially booked luggage weighing more than the maximum limit permitted the excess weight exceeding free allowance of luggage is charged at six times of the luggage scale rate subject to a minimum of Rs.50/-.

Luggage beyond the above quantity can be booked in advance and carried in brake Van.

If your luggage marginally exceeds the free allowance, you will be charged at the normal luggage rates applicable to your class of travel. Above marginal allowance penalty will be charged, If detected . Make sure to book your excess luggage in the luggage office, pay the prescribed charges and get your tickets endorsed by cross-referencing the luggage ticket details, before commencing your journey. Free allowance is not admissible for articles such as scooters, cycles etc.

As per instructions, there is no restriction on carriage of luggage in brake van
of passenger trains as far as quantity and type (personal or merchandise) of
luggage offered for booking is concerned .However, the excess luggage in owner’s
charge beyond the free allowance is charged at 1.5 times the rates under
scale-L.

Each passenger is allowed a free allowance up to which he can carry luggage with
him in the compartment, free of cost. The free allowance varies for different
classes of travel. Children aged 5 and below 12 years are allowed half of the
free allowance subject to the maximum of 50 Kgs. You are also permitted a
marginal allowance. There is a maximum ceiling on the luggage which can be
carried inside the compartment for each class. These are indicated in the table
below :

The following maximum limit free allowance, marginal allowance are admissible
for carriage of luggage in the compartment :

The maximum limit includes free allowance.

Your reserved ticket for a lower class can be upgraded to a higher class for the same train and date, subject to availability of accommodation. The upgrading of accommodation can be done only once on collection of fresh reservation charges and the fare difference. This can also be done during the journey by approaching the Traveling Ticket Examiner.

Yes, you can. All you have to do is submit a written request to the Reservation Supervisor of the Original boarding station or contact any Computerised Reservation Centre, at least 24 hours before the department of the
train. However, no refund is permissible for the unused portion of the journey. Such changes can be made only once.

The date of journey on Confirmed/RAC/Waitlisted tickets can be preponed or postponed in the same/higher class or for a longer distance on payment of nominal charges. This facility can be availed only once, irrespective of whether
the accommodation available is reserved or RAC or wait-listed. If you want to prepone the date of your journey, you should surrender your ticket during working hours and up to six hours before the schedule departure of the train in
which fresh reservation is required. For postponement, the ticket must be surrendered at least 24 hours before the schedule departure of the train in which reservation is presently held. Such changes can be made only once.

This travel-as-you-please ticket has been created especially for foreign tourists and Indian nationals residing abroad. This ticket is available during specified time period from ½ day to 90 days. Indrail Passes should be used
within one year of issue. Validity period starts from the date of the first train journey and ends on the midnight of the last journey. During the period of validity, foreign tourists can travel from anywhere on the Indian Railways
network without route or train restrictions and without payment of any additional charges.

What is the cost of the Indrail Pass?

The cost of the Indrail Pass varies with the class of travel and the validity period. For your convenience, these details are given below:

Where are Indrail Passes available?

In India, Indrail Passes are available for sale in Railway Reservation Offices at: Ahmedabad, Aurangabad, Bangalore, Howrah, Chennai, Gorakhpur, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune, Secunderabad, Thiruvunanthapuram
Central, Vadodara, Varanasi and Vasco-da- Gama. Certain recognized Travel Agents are also authorized to sell these passes in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. Indrail Passes are also sold through General Sales Agents in Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Finland, Germany, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the UAE and the UK.

Yes. Foreign tourists, who wish to experience India by train, can enjoy the special facilities earmarked for them. These are explained below in greater detail.

Special Quota: Several important trains have a special quota for foreign tourists. This can be availed on payment of US Dollars or Pound Sterling. Tourists without foreign currency, will be allotted the special quota on
production of the exchange certificates issued by any nationalized bank. At the time of reservation, the passport number and the country of origin should be mentioned.

Assistance Cells: Major Reservation Centers have special Cells to help foreign tourists plan their itinerary, reserve their tickets and render any assistance required. The International Tourist Bureau situated on the first
floor of New Delhi Railway Station provides personalized service and assistance to foreign tourists and NRIs regarding reservations, itinerary planning and other enquiries. This Bureau is manned by trained staff and tourist guides, fluent in foreign languages.
For any assistance, please contact:
The Manager,
International Tourist Bureau,
I Floor, New Delhi Railway Station,
New Delhi – 110 001.
Tel: 011-23405156, 23346804. Fax: 011-23343050.

To get full detail click on this link –
http://www.indianrail.gov.in/intert.html

Can I book my tickets on station on a Credit Card?

Yes. For your convenience, Indian Railways have exclusive counters where you can reserve your tickets through credit cards. This facility is presently available only at important Computerized Reservation Centers. An additional
service charge of Rs.30/- is levied when your reserve your tickets on a Credit Card.

Can I book my tickets through Mobile Phone?

Yes. You can book reserved tickets through mobile phones. The procedures for booking are similar to that of booking tickets through Internet. For details, please visit www.irctc.co.in.

Can I book my tickets through Travel Agents?

Yes, you can approach authorized Rail Travelers’ Service Agents and Railway Tourist Agents who will book your tickets on payment of prescribed charges. No separate reservation quotas have been assigned to these agents and their staff has to take their turn in the queue at the Reservation Office for purchasing tickets like any other passenger. Addresses and phone numbers of these Travel Agents can be obtained from the Station Managers.

How to locate authorized Rail Travelers Service Agents (RTSA) in my place?

Click on this link and type your town pin code to get the list of authorized Rail Travelers Service Agents in your area

http://www.irctc.co.in/cgi-bin/bv60.dll/irctc/enquiry/FindAgents.do?click=true