Indian Railways is set to implement significant changes to its lower berth reservation policy starting 2025, bringing relief to millions of passengers who struggle with upper berth accommodations during long journeys. The new rules specifically target enhanced comfort for elderly travelers, pregnant women, and differently-abled passengers.
Who Gets Priority for Lower Berths in 2025?
The revised policy establishes clear priority categories for lower berth allocation. Senior citizens aged 60 and above will receive automatic preference, eliminating the need for manual requests during ticket booking. Similarly, pregnant women and passengers with physical disabilities will be systematically assigned lower berths based on their profile information.
Key Changes in the Reservation System
The Indian Railways technical team has been working on backend system upgrades to facilitate these changes. When passengers from priority categories book tickets through the IRCTC portal or app, the system will automatically detect their eligibility and assign lower berths when available.
- Automatic Assignment: No more manual selection - the system identifies eligible passengers
- Age-Based Priority: Senior citizens get systematic preference
- Medical Condition Consideration: Pregnant women and disabled passengers given priority
- Transparent Process: Clear guidelines on berth allocation
What This Means for Regular Passengers
While the new rules prioritize specific passenger groups, regular travelers might find lower berths slightly harder to obtain during peak travel seasons. However, railway officials assure that the overall allocation system has been optimized to balance comfort across all passenger categories.
The 2025 policy revision represents Indian Railways' continued commitment to passenger comfort and accessibility. By streamlining the reservation process for those who need it most, the national transporter aims to make long-distance travel more comfortable for vulnerable passenger groups.
Passengers are advised to ensure their personal details, including age and disability status, are accurately updated in their IRCTC profiles to benefit from these new provisions when booking tickets for 2025 journeys.
