Ever struggled to get a lower berth while booking a train ticket? If you're a senior citizen, a woman aged 45 or above, or a person with a disability, you have a higher chance of securing one! Indian Railways gives priority to these passengers and has reserved lower berth quotas for every coach to make travel more comfortable.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw informed the Lok Sabha about the steps being taken to ensure that those who need lower berths the most can access them without hassle. In fact, if you fall into one of these categories, you don’t even have to request a lower berth—it’s automatically assigned to you based on availability.
To enhance accessibility, Indian Railways has designated a specific quota of lower berths in different classes. In the Sleeper Class, six to seven lower berths are reserved per coach. In Air-Conditioned 3-Tier (3AC), four to five lower berths are allocated, while in Air-Conditioned 2-Tier (2AC), three to four lower berths are reserved for senior citizens and women.
Additionally, a special reservation quota for persons with disabilities applies to all mail and express trains, including Rajdhani and Shatabdi, regardless of whether concession benefits are availed. This quota includes four berths, with two lower berths in Sleeper Class, four berths (including two lower berths) in 3AC/3E, and four seats in reserved Second Sitting (2S) and AC Chair Car (CC).
If lower berths remain vacant during the journey, preference is given to senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and pregnant women who were initially allotted middle or upper berths.