70 kg of luggage for AC first class while 50 kg is allowed in AC 2-tier: Indian Railway announces new luggage policy

The Indian Railways has announced a new policy under which rail travellers, like air travellers, will be charged for carrying excess luggage.

For decades, the railways have been indulgent with customers who travel with excess luggage, but now travellers will be charged a fee if they are caught with excess luggage on trains.

People should not travel with excess baggage in trains, according to the Ministry of Railways' official Twitter account.

Up to 70 kg is allowed for free in AC first class, while 50 kg is allowed in AC 2-tier. Carrying baggage up to 40 kg is allowed in the AC 3-tier sleeper, AC chair car, and sleeper class. The weight restriction for 2-class is 25 kg. Luggage is charged at a minimum of Rs 30.

Luggage that will be transported by the same train shall be submitted at the luggage office at the booking station at least 30 minutes prior to the departure time. Passengers can book their luggage at the same time as their tickets.

"Luggage that is not securely packed will not be accepted for booking and carriage unless the sender or his authorised representative executes a forwarding note and records such faults or faulty packing," according to the letter.

As per the notification, when a passenger is found with unbooked or partially booked luggage weighing more than the permitted weight, the excess unbooked weight exceeding the free allowance of luggage is charged at six times the luggage scale rate instead of 6 times of scale -R as earlier.

“However, if unbooked or partially booked luggage is detected more than the free allowance of then luggage but within the marginal allowance, it is charged at 1.5 times the luggage scale rate."