Indian railways are the most popular pickup choice for people planning to travel around different places across India with their loved ones. For many years, Indian railways have broadened their connectivity routes to expand their reach toward every corner of our country. Currently, the Indian railway runs 13,169 passenger trains daily on average, covering 7325 stations across India. IRCTC ticket booking makes it convenient for passengers to travel. You can also use the Railofy app & website, an IRCTC-authorized partner.
Do you know there are different types of training classes you can choose from? These are introduced by IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation). Let’s go through each class and know about them in detail. Train classes are divided into two categories: air-conditioned classes & non-air-conditioned classes.
IRCTC bookings can be easily made online, passengers have to select appropriate train matching details, and here you get your reservation done. All the classes of Indian railways require to book tickets in advance, excluding general class. If authorities find you without reservation & ticket booking, there is a provision of penalties and charges.
Air Conditioned Classes
Air-conditioned classes are a bit expensive. However, these classes bring you cleaner and more comfortable seats. People traveling long distances often choose AC classes to cover their journeys more comfortably. Under air-conditioned classes, Indian railways provide different sub-categories featuring various perks & amenities.
Air-Conditioned Executive Chair Class (EC)
It is a well-air-conditioned car-type seat arrangement. Under AC executive class, you will find seat arrangements like 2+2 spacious carriage providing enough privacy. Few express trains, such as Vande Bharat Express, Gatiman Express, Shatabdi Express, and Tejas Express, provide facilities for these EC classes. It is one of the most expensive and premium classes preferred by business travelers to enjoy luxurious comfort. Apart from a clean carriage, passengers get a small foldable table and also a screen attached to every seat. If the passenger opted for meals at the time of ticket booking, then onboard staff will provide complimentary food to your seat.
Air-Conditioned First Class (1AC)
Under this section, Indian railways provide a 2-berth or 4-berth seat in each compartment with the additional benefit of lockable doors. Each coach is clean and well managed by staff & provides an individual wash basin. Passengers will also be provided with a blanket, sheet, pillow, and towel on each berth. This is the most premium class provided by Indian Railways in time-tabled trains.
Air-Conditioned Two-Tier Class (2AC)
Under the two-tier AC compartment, you will get two upper & two lower berths along with one upper & lower side berth. Rather than doors, there is a curtain available to separate the compartments. You will get a towel, blanket, sheet, and pillow for your journey. The pricing is almost half of first-class AC, attracting more passengers to travel using the class.
Vistadome Class (EV)
Vistadome coaches are introduced by Indian railways to encourage tourism. The main specialty of these coaches is that passengers can enjoy a 180-degree panoramic view while traveling. Unlike AC chair cars, it provides spotless large glass windows, 360 degrees flexible pushback seats, glass rooftops with anti-glare screens for better sky view, wi-fi, and bio-toilets. All these elements extend the feeling of luxurious traveling through a train journey.
Air-Conditioned Three-Tier Class(3AC)
3AC class comprises 6 berths: 2 middle, 2 uppers, & 2 lower berths along with side upper & lower. Unlike first & second AC classes, there is no door and curtain available, hence signifying less privacy. However, like other AC classes, you will get a pillow, sheet, and blanket on each berth. Middle berths are foldable so that passengers can sit back on the lower berth more comfortably. Most Indians prefer this class as it fits into their budget.
3AC economy (3E)
3AC-Economy is the latest among all the coaches operational in the Indian railway’s network. These are similar to 3AC, but they are a little compact, and hence little less legroom is available for passengers. A usual 3AC has 72 seats per coach, and 3AC-Economy has 83 seats, but their fare is less than 3AC. Apart from that it has individual AC vents for each seat, individual reading lights, and mobile charging points with USB ports.
AC Chair Class (CC)
These air-conditioned chair car classes contain arrangements as 3 & 2 seats in all carriages. Passengers prefer this class during the daytime journey and to cover short-distance train journeys. It is a budget-friendly option to cover short-distance journeys of less than 5 hours.
Non-Air-Conditioned Classes
These classes do not have air conditioning facilities and are opted for by people who want to invest less money in their train journey.
First Class (FC)
The first class is the non-AC coaches provided by Indian Railways. The class constitutes 4 berth cabins and 2 berth coupes with a door just like AC first class. It is safer and more comfortable for passengers traveling longer distances. This class was earlier prominent in Indian railways but with the advancement and evolution of AC classes, these coaches are very uncommon currently.
Sleeper Class (SL)
The sleeper class in Indian railways comprises seating patterns as a lower, middle, and upper berth. You will also get two seats, side upper & side lower, on the other side of the compartment. During day hours, the middle berth can be easily foldable and make space to sit on the lower berth. The pricing is comparatively less than other air-conditioned classes making it an effective choice during a tight budget.
Second Class (2S)
The second class is considered to be the cheapest reserved class. The 2S class is mostly preferred by passengers for daytime intercity and Jan Shatabdi trains. The coaches are set up in a 3*3 chair car for reserved seats.
Unreserved/General Class (2S)
General classes do not require any advance ticket bookings. These can be purchased on the date of the journey from unreserved ticket counters located at railway stations. This section contains bench-style seating arrangements. The seats can be wooden in a few trains, while others have padded ones. Under this class, the scenario can be chaotic and there is no guarantee that you will be able to get a berth to sit in the coach. People who miss out on booking tickets get boarded under the coach. Indian railways introduced the class to help poor people board trains.
Use Railofy to Book Train Tickets
Railofy makes your train ticket booking simple, fast, and more secure. We are the trusted IRCTC premium partner that provides different features, such as smart recommendations, travel guarantees to the waitlist and RAC passengers for a nominal amount, free cancellations, and instant refunds. Railofy is not limited to IRCTC booking; we offer food ordering options to help you get the food to your reserved seats from top restaurants like Haldiram, Moti Mahal, Bikanervala, and others. The Railofy app has a simple interface that makes it more convenient to navigate through all features. We provide WhatsApp alerts about PNR status by just sending (10-digit PNR) on 9881193322 and another train alert information.