How to Get a Lower Berth Easily on Indian Railways: IRCTC Shares a Simple Booking Trick
How to Get a Lower Berth Easily on Indian Railways: IRCTC Shares a Simple Booking Trick
Getting a lower berth on a train can sometimes feel like pure luck, especially during busy travel seasons. Even passengers who book tickets well in advance often end up with middle or upper berths instead of the preferred lower seat. The issue becomes more frustrating when senior citizens or people with health concerns are travelling.
To help passengers avoid this inconvenience, IRCTC has highlighted a simple method that can improve the chances of getting a lower berth while booking train tickets online. The trick can be used for several trains, including Rajdhani Express, Vande Bharat sleeper services, and regular express trains.
Lower berths are usually preferred because they are more comfortable and easier to access, particularly for elderly travellers. Although Indian Railways already gives priority to senior citizens for lower berths, availability still depends on the number of seats left at the time of booking.
According to information shared by IRCTC, passengers booking tickets for senior citizens can use a dedicated option available during the reservation process. While filling in passenger details, travellers should go to the “Reservation Choices” section and select the option that says, “Book only if lower berth is allotted.”
Choosing this setting ensures that the booking will only proceed if a lower berth is available. This can help passengers avoid situations where tickets are confirmed but the allotted berth is on the upper or middle level.
Passengers travelling under the general quota can also select lower berth preference while booking tickets. However, IRCTC has clarified that berth allotment in the general category depends entirely on seat availability and is handled automatically by the system without manual intervention.
If a lower berth is not allotted during booking, passengers can still seek assistance from the Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) on board the train. Railway officials often help elderly passengers or those with medical needs whenever berth adjustments are possible.
Booking tickets through the IRCTC website or mobile app is a straightforward process. Users need to log in, enter departure and destination stations, choose the journey date, and select their preferred train and travel class. After filling in passenger information, travellers can choose their berth preference before completing payment through UPI, cards, or net banking.
Once payment is successful, the confirmed ticket is sent through SMS or email. Using the lower berth preference option during booking can significantly improve the chances of getting a more comfortable journey experience.
