Indian Railways Lower Berth Rules: Special quota and booking facilities for pregnant women
Indian Railways provides special facilities to make travel easier for pregnant women. To avoid the struggle of climbing upper berths, the railway has a dedicated quota system. This service is available without any extra charges to ensure a comfortable journey for expecting mothers.
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How can pregnant women get a lower berth
Pregnant women can book lower berths primarily through the booking counter or the reservation office. A medical certificate may be required to confirm the pregnancy and avail of this facility. According to a December 2025 announcement by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, lower berths will be automatically allotted to pregnant women, senior citizens, and women over 45 years of age if seats are available, even if they do not specifically choose the option.
What is the lower berth quota in different classes
The railway reserves a specific number of lower berths in each coach to help priority passengers. The distribution of these seats is as follows:
| Coach Class | Reserved Lower Berths |
|---|---|
| Sleeper Class | 6-7 berths per coach |
| Third AC (3AC) | 4-5 berths per coach |
| Second AC (2AC) | 3-4 berths per coach |
Role of TTE during the journey
The Traveling Ticket Examiner (TTE) plays a key role in managing seat allocations during the trip. If a pregnant woman, senior citizen, or person with disability is allotted an upper or middle berth and a lower berth remains vacant in the coach, the TTE can re-allocate the lower berth to them for their convenience.