Upgrade to Higher Travel Class in Train According to IRCTC Ticket Bookings Guidelines 

Who doesn’t like to travel comfortably on trains? Everybody! IRCTC has introduced a scheme where a passenger can get a higher class up-gradation during their train journey. Auto upgradation is a scheme that allows waiting list passengers who have paid the full fare to travel in a higher class without any extra charge. IRCTC now lets people to upgrade their tickets to a higher class during their journey. But if a user clicks on the ‘NO’ option for upgradation while booking a train ticket booking online, then his or her PNR, Passenger Name Record, will not be considered at all for upgradation.    

How to avail of the auto upgradation scheme during train ticket booking?   

The Indian Railways train ticket booking system has a scheme where passengers have an option, during ticket booking, to select or not to select the option of auto up-gradation. This can be used by passengers, both in online as well as offline booking. Random passengers are selected during chart preparation, and no railway authority has any hand or any control over selecting a passenger. The selected passenger gets an upgraded higher-class journey which is obtained by paying the actual ticket price which the passenger has paid during the original ticket booking.   

Aim behind launching this scheme for train ticket booking:   

It is not always necessary that all berths will be filled during a journey when you are doing train ticket booking online. So, in order to utilize the berths, Indian Railways introduced this scheme. Before this facility, seat allocation and utilization were an issue, and the scheme was launched with an aim to resolve this. When passengers get vacant seats, waitlisted passengers will get the seats. The status of the waitlisted ticket will continue to change, making way for more confirming berths through this scheme.   

Click here – Different Places To Incorporate Indigo Blue For Best Results

Also read – Know some of the benefits of online train ticket booking 

Rules for IRCTC auto upgradation scheme in train ticket booking   

1. No biased decision:  

During chart preparation, automatic upgradation is conducted by Passenger Reservation System. No other railway employee or representative has the power or authority to conduct the upgradation.   

2. Waitlisted tickets are upgraded:  

Confirmed seats are allotted only to the waiting list passengers. The berths that remain vacant gets transferred for current bookings. Upgradation does not take place if the train does not have a waiting list.   

3. Only one class above upgradation:   

If the passenger’s ticket is upgraded, it is done to only one level of class, such as from 3rd AC to 2nd AC, sleeper class to 3rd AC, 2nd AC to 1st AC, and likewise.   

4. Refund policies and cancellation:  

If a passenger is upgraded to a higher class, and after that he/she wants to cancel the ticket, then the cancellation charge of the original class has to be borne by the passenger.   

5. No change in PNR:  

The original PNR will be used even in case of upgradation. Only the seat number and coach number, and berth number will be changed. The passenger just has to change their coach and seats during the journey.   

6. Maximum passengers to get upgradation:  

One PNR allows the upgradation of up to six passengers at one time. No one will get the upgradation if the number of berths available are less than six.   

Exceptions under this scheme  

1. Traveller travelling with a concessional ticket:  

If the ticket includes any type of concession availed by unemployed youth, or women of 58 years, or those seeking medical benefits, etc., then the passenger will not get an upgradation.   

2. Free railways pass holder:  

Railway travel passes are issued to Railway employees and the members of their family. Such travellers travelling with a Railway pass will not get an upgradation.   

3. Senior citizen availing concession:  

Indian railways offer senior citizen travellers’ concessions based on their age, which is 60 for men and 58 for women. These travellers will not get an upgradation.   

Auto upgradation is a great scheme introduced by IRCTC. You just have to tick a mark on the column of auto upgradation at the time of booking your tickets, and who knows, you might get upgraded to a higher class, only if seats are vacant in that class, without any extra money.   

Wrapping up:   

Through Trainman, which is a train ticket booking app, now traveling to your favourite destination and booking train ticket online is now easier than before. Now you can search for and book your tickets in their mobile IRCTC ticket booking app in just no time. They offer a hassle-free booking experience to everyone who just loves to travel. Their app is available on both android and IOS. Wait no more and start booking your tickets with ease!

Click here – Here’s what you need to know about Saral Jeevan Bima – Features, Eligibility, Coverage, latest trends