Indian Railways Offers Free Upgrade to AC Chair Car
Indian Railways has expanded its automatic upgrade facility to include upgrades from Sleeper (SL) and Second Seating (2S) tickets to higher AC classes, depending on availability.
The Railway Board, in a letter dated May 13, directed all zonal railways to implement the revised policy with immediate effect. Signed by Sanjay Manocha, Director (Passenger Marketing), the order formalises a major change in the upgradation system. Under the updated rule, passengers with 2S class tickets will now be eligible for free upgrades to AC Chair Car if vacant seats are available. Meanwhile, Sleeper class passengers, who were earlier only eligible for upgrades to Third AC (3A), can now be upgraded to Second AC (2A) as well. The upgrade will remain free of cost and will only be applied to tickets where the passenger has opted for the “Auto Upgrade” option during booking via the IRCTC platform. Without this selection, passengers will not be considered for the facility.
Authorities clarified that if an upgraded ticket is later cancelled, the refund will be calculated based on the original fare paid—not the upgraded class. The policy aims to make better use of vacant higher-class seats while offering more comfort to passengers without extra charges. This is particularly helpful during peak seasons, when AC berths often remain unused due to their higher cost.
The move is being seen as part of a broader effort by Indian Railways to improve customer satisfaction and optimise seat utilisation across classes.
