Restoration of Unreserved Coaches in Railway
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
RAILWAY BOARD
Commercial Circular No. 06 of 2025
New Delhi, dated 28.02.2025
No.TC-ll/ 2910/ 2025/ Covid 19 Review of HSP fare
(3375471)
The Chief Commercial Managers,
Ail Zonal Railways.
Sub: Restoration of unreserved coaches In trains.
REF: 1. This office letter of even no. dated 12.11.2025
2. Control message no. 2025/CC/RB/10/01 dated 22.10.2025 & other such instructions issued from time to time.
In continuation of above instructions, Ministry of Railways have now decided that “In trains already restored with regular train numbers, second class accommodation shall be earmarked reserved or unreserved as per applicability during Pre-Pandemic period.”
Apart from this, second class accommodation of special trains at present running as Holiday special (HSP) trains shall also be earmarked reserved or unreserved as per CC no. 30 of 2025 and other instructions issued from time to time.
The above shall be implemented from Advance Reservation Period / No booking date.
Ensure necessary action accordingly and confirm.
sd/-
(Vipul Singhal)
Director Passenger Marketing
Railway Board
Source: https://indianrailways.gov.in/
Here’s a detailed breakdown on the restoration of unreserved (general) coaches in Indian Railways, including current policies, recent trends, and emerging strategies to ease overcrowding:
Contents
🧾 Policy Timeline: Restoration Post‑COVID
- Feb 28, 2025: Railway Board Commercial Circular No. 06 of 2025 mandated reinstating unreserved Second Class (General) coaches in trains restored to regular status. This means coaches that were converted to reserved-only during COVID must now revert to their pre-pandemic reserved/unreserved status
- Mar 1, 2025: Implementation began — unreserved travel was again permitted in general coaches of all Mail/Express trains, as per pre-COVID norms, unless those coaches were already fully booked via reservations up to 120 days in advance
📈 Latest Developments as of 2025
- Coach Expansion Efforts:
- As of March 2025, Indian Railways operates around 79,000 passenger coaches, of which ~56,000 (≈70%) are general or non-AC sleeper coaches
- About 1,200 additional General Class coaches were added to Mail/Express trains during FY 2024–25.
- The Railways has set a target to produce 17,000 more non-AC coaches, with plans to manufacture 10,000 non-AC coaches by 2025–26, including 3,500 general seating coaches
- Standard Coach Composition:
- As per policy, a standard 22-coach Mail/Express train should include approximately 12 General/Sleeper (non-AC) coaches and 8 AC coaches to maintain balance and capacity in reserved/non-reserved accommodation
🧐 Operational Challenges
- Despite policy, SeSouthern Railway cut general coaches in 13 trains (effective February 2025) to accommodate more AC rakes—reducing general coaches from 4 to 3 or fewer on many routes
- On-the-ground overcrowding persists:
- Numerous Reddit reports document overcrowded general coaches, ticketless passengers entering reserved coaches, and rider complaints of discomfort and safety
- Calls for reform include adding more general dabbas, enforcing entry scanning as in metro systems, and introducing more general-only trains
⚙️ Innovation: Amrit Bharat / Vande Sadharan Trains
- Amrit Bharat Express is a new initiative featuring non-AC sleeper + general coaches, using push–pull technology. Each trainset typically includes 8 General coaches and 12 Sleeper coaches, aiming at low-cost, high-density travel in busy corridors
🔍 Summary Table
| Aspect | Status / Policy |
|---|---|
| Policy directive | Restoration of unreserved general coaches per pre-pandemic norms from 2022 |
| Coach production plans | ~1,200 new general coaches added during FY25; 17k more planned in coming years |
| Current mix | ~70% of coaches are general/non-AC; policy mandates ~12 general per 22-coach train |
| Zonal reductions | Southern Railway reduced general coaches in several trains (Feb 2025) |
| Technology innovation | Amrit Bharat trainsets offering 8 general + 12 sleeper coaches |
| Primary concerns | Severe overcrowding in general coaches; ticketless boarding into reserved coaches |
🚧 Why This Matters to You
- If you travel frequently in general/unreserved class, these updates aim to improve access and reduce overcrowding—but loco constraints and network upgrades may slow progress.
- If you’re watching for specific train options:
- Look out for new Amrit Bharat Express routes on high-traffic sectors.
- Check coach composition on IRCTC/NTES to confirm presence of GS general coaches before booking.
🧭 What You Can Do Next
- Track specific trains on IRCTC/NTES to see if unreserved coaches are present or reinstated.
- File complaints via RailMadad if unreserved passengers board reserved coaches or if GS coaches aren’t available
- Advocate for more general coaches: Passenger pressure and civic requests have influenced policy before and can continue to do so.
Would you like support with:
- Checking which upcoming trains include general seating (GS)?
- Tracking release of new Amrit Bharat or non-AC service routes?
- Understanding how these policies may impact booking your next journey?
I’d be glad to help you explore further.