IRCTC New Rules For Waiting List | Special Train Waiting List Rules
Indian Railways will start issuing limited waiting lists tickets for different classes for Special Trains being introduced from 12.05.2025
There shall be No RAC in these special trains
The changes shall be made applicable for the trains starting date 22nd May, 2025 i.e. booking for which shall commence from 15th May, 2025
Indian Railways has decided that there shall be no RAC (Reservation against cancellation) in special trains restored wef. 12.05.2025. Also, it has been decided that waiting list tickets shall be issued subject to maximum limits mentioned below:
Indian Railways has taken some other decisions with respect to Special Trains restored wef 12.05.2025 which are as under:
| Class | Maximum Waiting List Limit |
| 1 AC | 20 |
| Executive Class | 20 |
| 2 AC | 50 |
| 3 AC | 100 |
| AC Chair Car | 100 (Applicable only if any train with Chair Car class is introduced in future) |
| Sleeper | 200 (Applicable only if any train with Sleeper class is introduced in future) |
- Other rules concerning waiting list shall be applicable.
- No Tatkal/Premium Tatkal Quotas shall be defined.
- Senior Citizen Quota, Ladies Quota and Quota for Divyangjans(HP) shall be defined as per extant instructions.
- The refund rules i.e. cancellation upto 24 hours with refund of 50% of fare and NIL refund within 24 hours of train departure shall be discontinued and extant refund rules i.e.Railways Cancellation and Refund rule 2015 shall be made applicable.
- The above changes shall be made applicable for the trains starting on 22nd May, 2025 i.e. booking for which shall commence from 15th May, 2025.
Here’s everything you need to know about the new IRCTC/Indian Railways rules for Waiting List (WL) tickets, including special train-specific regulations:
Contents
Key Rule Updates (Effective from May 1, 2025)
- No boarding in Sleeper (SL) or AC (1A, 2A, 3A) coaches with a WL ticket. These tickets are now restricted to General (unreserved) compartments only
- Strict enforcement by Ticket Checkers (TTEs): Passengers found in reserved coaches with WL tickets will be deboarded and fined—₹250 for Sleeper, ₹440 for AC—plus the fare from the boarding point to the next station
- The Advance Reservation Period has been cut from 120 to 60 days, and OTP verification is now mandatory for all online bookings.
Partially Confirmed PNRs: What Happens?
If a PNR includes both confirmed and WL passengers (e.g., 2 confirmed + 2 waiting), new rules treat the entire PNR as invalid for boarding in sleeper/AC coaches. Only fully confirmed (or RAC) passengers are allowed to travel.
Some ambiguity remains among passengers regarding partially confirmed tickets—such travelers often share experiences of being allowed to board—but the official stance is clear: WL passengers must not travel in reserved classes.
Special Trains: WL Limits & No RAC
For special trains (e.g., during festivals or unique services), IRCTC has specific caps on the number of WL tickets that can be issued per class—and no RAC is allowed. These limits are:
| Class | Max WL Tickets Issued |
|---|---|
| 1A & Executive | 20 |
| 2A | 50 |
| 3A | 100 |
| AC Chair Car | 100 (if applicable) |
| Sleeper | 200 (if applicable) |
Refund rules for these special trains follow general Railway guidelines from the 2025 cancellation policy, replacing previous flat-rate refunds
Summary Table
| Rule Category | Details |
|---|---|
| WL in Sleeper/AC | Not allowed; only General class permitted |
| Penalties | ₹250 (Sleeper) / ₹440 (AC) + fare to next station for non-compliance |
| Advance Reservation Period | Reduced to 60 days |
| OTP Verification | Mandatory for all online bookings |
| Partially Confirmed PNRs | Entire PNR treated as invalid if any passenger is waitlisted |
| Special Train WL Rules | Specific WL caps, no RAC, follow general cancellation norms |
If you’d like, I can help you check PNR status, explore General coach alternatives, or guide you on rebooking options to avoid WL issues. Let me know how I can assist!