Indian Railways has announced that passengers will have to pay extra charges if they carry luggage beyond the free allowance permitted for their travel class. The decision was shared by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in the Lok Sabha during the Winter Session of Parliament.

The Railway Minister made this statement while replying to a question raised by Member of Parliament Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy, who asked whether Indian Railways plans to enforce baggage rules similar to those followed by airlines. In response, Vaishnaw clarified that Indian Railways already has clear rules regarding how much luggage a passenger can carry for free and what happens if they exceed that limit.

According to the minister, each travel class in Indian Railways has a fixed free luggage allowance and a maximum weight limit. Passengers are allowed to carry luggage up to the free allowance without paying anything extra. However, if the luggage weight exceeds this free limit but remains within the maximum permitted limit, passengers will have to pay additional charges.

The extra charge for carrying excess luggage is 1.5 times the normal luggage rate, and this amount must be paid in advance. If a passenger is carrying luggage beyond the maximum permitted limit for their class, the extra baggage must be booked separately and transported in the brake van or parcel van of the train.

What are the charges 

The Railway Minister also explained the luggage limits for different travel classes. For passengers travelling in AC First Class, the maximum luggage limit is 150 kilograms, while the free allowance is 70 kilograms. In First Class and AC 2 Tier, passengers can carry up to 100 kilograms of luggage, with 50 kilograms allowed for free.

For those travelling in AC 3 Tier and AC Chair Car, the maximum luggage limit is 40 kilograms, and the entire amount is allowed free of charge. Sleeper Class passengers are permitted to carry up to 80 kilograms of luggage, with 40 kilograms allowed for free. In Second Class, the maximum luggage limit is 70 kilograms, while the free allowance is 35 kilograms.

Indian Railways said these rules are meant to ensure passenger safety, comfort, and smoother train operations. Excess luggage can cause inconvenience to fellow passengers and create safety risks inside coaches. By enforcing these baggage rules, Indian Railways aims to manage luggage better, reduce overcrowding, and improve the overall travel experience for passengers.