Railway luggage rules for train passengers: Minister Vaishnaw shares details ahead of New Year 2026

With year-end travel set to rise, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has clarified the rules governing luggage carriage on Indian Railways, stating that passengers are required to pay charges if they carry baggage beyond the prescribed free allowance for their travel class.

The clarification was provided in the Lok Sabha in response to a query on whether railways follow baggage practices comparable to those at airports.

Class-Wise Luggage Entitlements

According to the details shared by Ashwini Vaishnaw and reported by The Economic Times, every travel class has both a free allowance and an overall ceiling for luggage that can be taken into passenger compartments.

In AC First Class, travellers may carry up to 70 kg free of cost, with the upper limit fixed at 150 kg. Passengers in First Class and AC 2 Tier are entitled to a free allowance of 50 kg, with a maximum cap of 100 kg.

For AC 3 Tier and AC Chair Car passengers, the free allowance is 40 kg, which also represents the maximum permissible quantity. In Sleeper Class, passengers are allowed to carry 40 kg free, while the upper threshold is set at 80 kg. Second Class passengers are permitted 35 kg free of charge, with a ceiling of 70 kg.

Charges For Excess Baggage

Minister Vaishnaw informed the House that passengers who exceed the free allowance but remain within the class-wise maximum limit can still carry the excess baggage inside the coach after paying additional charges. These charges are levied at one-and-a-half times the standard luggage rate prescribed by the Railways.

Any luggage exceeding the maximum limit allowed inside passenger compartments must be booked separately and transported through designated luggage facilities.

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Size Limits For Personal Luggage

The Minister also outlined dimensional restrictions for items considered personal luggage. Trunks, suitcases and boxes with external measurements not exceeding 100 cm in length, 60 cm in breadth and 25 cm in height are permitted inside passenger coaches.

If any one of these dimensions is exceeded, such items are not allowed in passenger compartments. Instead, they must be booked and transported in brake vans or parcel vans attached to the train.