Before you stuff every bag to the brim for your next trip, it pays to glance at the railway's luggage rules. Passengers in Barmer have been cautioned that boarding a coach with unbooked baggage above the permitted weight can hit the wallet hard. In such cases, on top of the standard extra charge, a penalty of up to six times the luggage rate can be slapped on you, an amount that sometimes ends up costing more than the ticket itself. The smarter move is to book any excess baggage at the station's luggage office before the journey begins.
Indian Railways has urged travellers to follow these rules strictly. According to Anurag Tripathi, Divisional Railway Manager of the Jodhpur Division of the North Western Railway, every class of travel has a fixed limit for carrying luggage free of charge. If a passenger is caught carrying more than this limit without booking it, the excess weight attracts a charge of up to six times the luggage rate.
How Much Is Free in Each Class
Tripathi says AC First Class passengers may carry up to 70 kg of luggage at no charge. The limit is 50 kg in AC Two Tier and First Class, while AC Three Tier and AC Chair Car allow up to 40 kg. Sleeper Class too permits 40 kg, and Second Class allows up to 35 kg of free baggage.
What Happens Beyond the Limit
There is one bit of relief in the rules. If the extra baggage falls only within the fixed marginal allowance, it is charged at just 1.5 times the luggage rate. But weight above the maximum limit is simply not allowed inside a passenger compartment. Such heavy luggage must be booked at the station's luggage office before the journey starts and sent through the brake van, that is, the luggage van.
No Big Trunks or Sacks on the Berth
The railway has also made it clear that trade or commercial goods, large trunks, sacks and cartons are strictly barred from a passenger berth. Booking such items in the brake van is compulsory. According to Senior DCM Hitesh Yadav, bulky items like large trunks, boxes, suitcases, commercial goods, sacks and cartons are not permitted in a passenger coach, because they make it hard for other travellers to board and alight and also affect safety.
MST Holders Get No Exemption
Notably, these rules apply just as strictly to MST, the monthly season ticket holders. Holding an MST does not mean any extra relaxation in the baggage limit. Daily commuters must stay within the same weight limits set for ordinary ticket holders, or they too could face a penalty.
