Senior Citizen Railway ticket rules: Most people are not aware of the many facilities available to elderly passengers during rail travel. Let us know about three such excellent facilities which senior citizen passengers can easily avail.
Indian Railways, which is called the lifeline of the country, claims to provide all kinds of facilities to its passengers. These include different facilities for passengers of every age and class. Railways considers men aged 60 years or more and women aged 58 years or more as senior citizens. Railways also takes full care of these senior citizen passengers.
However, most people are not aware of many facilities available to these elderly passengers during rail travel. Let us know about three such excellent facilities which senior citizen passengers can easily avail.
Lower Berth Reservation for Senior Citizens
Except for some trains of Indian Railways, most have two types of coaches reserved and unreserved. At the same time, there are three types of berths lower, middle and upper. During reservation, keeping in mind the facilities of elderly passengers, Railways allots lower berth on priority basis. In case of women passengers, this facility is provided only after they attain the age of 45 years. At the time of reservation, they are automatically given lower berths by the computer.
First right on empty lower berth in a running train
This facility is given to senior citizens only on the basis of availability of seats. If lower berth is not available at the time of reservation, then elderly passengers can meet the TTE and ask for empty lower berth in a running train. According to the rules of the railways, if any lower berth remains empty after the train departs, then senior citizens with middle or upper berths can request the TTE to allot it. After completing some formalities, the TTE allots the berth to them.
Seats for elderly passengers in sleeper and AC coaches
Some berths are reserved for senior citizens in all trains with reserved coaches of Indian Railways. According to the rules, six lower berths are reserved in all sleeper coaches. Whereas, three lower berths are reserved for senior citizens in AC 3 tier and AC 2 tier coaches. However, as per the need, women above 45 years of age and pregnant passengers are also seated on these seats or berths.
At the same time, all AC coach trains like Rajdhani Express and Duronto Express have more number of berths reserved for senior citizens as compared to regular mail and express trains.
Reservation in local trains of metros too
Local trains of railways are very popular in cities like Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. Central and Western Railways operate local trains in Mumbai. Some seats are reserved for senior citizens in the local trains of both these zones. In most of these trains, seats are reserved for them in the coaches reserved for women. Apart from this, wheel chairs and porters etc. are available for senior citizens at major stations of the country. However, a fixed fee has to be paid for the porter.
