Indian Railways has updated the official sleeping hours for passengers traveling in reserved coaches to address frequent complaints about berth usage. Under the revised guidelines, passengers are now permitted to sleep between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM. This is a shift from the previous rule which allowed sleeping from 9:00 PM. The decision aims to minimize disputes between passengers on middle and lower berths, ensuring that everyone has space to sit comfortably during waking hours.
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New Sleeping Rules and Berth Guidelines
The Railway Board has issued specific directives to manage onboard conduct and berth sharing. The primary goal is to accommodate co-passengers who need to sit on the lower berths during the day.
- Sleeping Time: Passengers can officially sleep only between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM.
- Middle Berth: Passengers occupying the middle berth must fold it up by 6:00 AM. Between 6:00 AM and 10:00 PM, the middle berth cannot be kept down for sleeping if it causes inconvenience to others sitting on the lower berth.
- Side Berths: During the day (6 AM to 10 PM), the side lower berth must be shared by both the side lower and side upper passengers for sitting. Side upper passengers must retreat to their upper berth to sleep during the designated night hours.
- Ticket Checking: Traveling Ticket Examiners (TTEs) are prohibited from checking tickets of passengers after 10:00 PM if they boarded before that time, ensuring their sleep is not disturbed.
Unified Cleaning Services and Reforms
Starting February 17, 2026, the Ministry of Railways launched a significant pilot project to improve onboard hygiene and service quality. This initiative introduces a unified service model where a single agency manages both bedroll distribution and coach cleaning in five trains per zone. Previously, these services were handled by separate entities, which often led to service gaps.
To ensure strict compliance, the cleaning process is now being monitored through technology. Contracted agencies are required to upload geo-tagged “before and after” photos of the coaches to a central railway app. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that this “end-to-end” cleaning will happen throughout the journey, covering general coaches as well.
Passengers should also note that making noise after 10 PM, such as talking loudly on mobile phones or playing music, is a punishable offense under Section 145 of the Railway Act 1989, with fines ranging from ₹500 to ₹1,000.