Railway staff, retirees, other pass holders eligible for class upgrade on premium trains by paying fare difference

The Railway Board has clarified that train pass holders can travel in a higher-than-entitled class of premium trains such as Rajdhani, Duronto and Shatabdi Express by paying the applicable fare difference.The issue of permitting travel in a higher class of Rajdhani/Duronto/Shatabdi Express type trains on Privilege Passes (PP)/Post Retirement Complimentary Passes (PRCP) and Widow Passes (WP) was under consideration with the Railway Board due to ambiguity in the Railway Servants (Pass) Rules, 1986.Also read: Food safety lapses in 30 of 41 railway catering units inspected: UP FSDAThe Railway Servants (Pass) Rules, 1986 deal with free and concessional train travel for railway employees, their families, and dependents.The board said that the matter was consulted with the Commercial Directorate and “it is clarified that PPIPRCP/WP holders may travel in a class higher than the entitled class in premium trains, by paying the applicable difference in fare"."This supersedes all previous instructions regarding travel entitlement on Passes/PTOs," the board said, mentioning that it has advised the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) to make necessary modifications in the Passenger Reservation System (PRS) and e-Pass Module of Human Resource Management System, respectively, on an immediate basis.Also read: Pune railway kitchens, trains to face surprise food auditsOfficials noted that previously, there was uncertainty about whether a railway employee or pensioner could pay the difference and travel in a higher class in Rajdhani, Duronto or Shatabdi trains using a complimentary pass."Now, the Railway Board has explicitly clarified that this is permissible under Rule 3(x) of Schedule-II of RSPR-1986," a senior official said.