Seats in sleeper class on an overnight train?

sophia · Mar 18th, 2006, 11:55

My friend and I just bought tickets on an overnight train, and stupidly we waited for the last minute. The man at the reservation counter told us there were no more berths available, but he could sell us tickets for seats in sleeper class, and it was quite likely we would get a berth anyway. So, on the tickets it has seat numbers, and its definitely for sleeper class, not chair, so what does this mean? How can we have seats and not berths when the numbering is the same for both? Are we going to be forced out of our seats at nine and made to wander the train all night?

steven_ber · Mar 18th, 2006, 12:00

More details needed.

Is there a waitlist number (WL/XX) - please give both (WL/XX - WL/XY)

Is there an RAC number (RAC/XX) - Please give both (RAC/XX - RAC/XY)

Or a combination of the 2 (WL/XX - RAC/XY)

jyotirmoy · Mar 18th, 2006, 12:02

I think what you have got is what is called an RAC ticket. This means you will have a seat but not a berth. If berths are cancelled you may get them depending on what your RAC number.

ddutta · Mar 18th, 2006, 12:06

Seat in sleeper class is possible in case of RAC only. Where you will have a seat (that is side lower seat in most cases ) initially & you will be alloted a berth (sleeper) incase of any cancelation /vacancy. In worst case ie if there is no cancelation/vacancy if will have to continue your journey seating /sharing a sinlgle sleeper with another RAC passenger.You dont have to vacate your seat.

steven_ber · Mar 18th, 2006, 12:08

It is likely that you have RAC tickets, this means Reserved Against Cancellation.

With an RAC ticket you can board the train.

Some (lower) side berths are kept as (2) seats for RAC ticket holders, if someone doesn't turn up for the train at the last minute - one of the RAC ticket holders are given that vacent berth, then the 2 seats are turned into a berth, giving the 2nd RAC ticket holder a berth.

This does mean however, that you are unlikely to have berths next to each other.

EDIT NOTE - Sorry jyotirmoy & ddutta, we seemed to have all been replying at the same time.

sophia · Mar 19th, 2006, 15:42

Thanks for the advice everyone. Yes, we have RAC tickets, and I'm very happy to be able to have some idea what that means before I get on the train.

vsp27759 · Mar 21st, 2006, 11:23

Dear Sophia,
Your observation:-
"My friend and I just bought tickets on an overnight train";
"but he could sell us tickets for seats in sleeper class,"
---------------
@@@Now,if possible, please indicate the following details:-
1) Date of Journey
2) Train Number (**or Name)
2) Starting Station
3) Terminating Station
-----------
V.Srinivasa Prasad
21.3.2006/10.25 hrs.

sophia · Mar 21st, 2006, 15:17

Thanks for your help, but my trip was actually a couple days ago and I got it all sorted out!

Ryan7611 · Oct 8th, 2009, 13:17

i have a train leaving in 24 hours - train 8646 from hyderabad to Bhunesbwar. its 20+ hours overnight. Booking status was W/L 59. Current Status is RAC 78. so i am definitely on the train. should I try to make other plans? is this ride just going to be terrible? is there any chance i get a berth ? 78 people canceling in 24 hrs seems unlikely

arunganpath · Oct 8th, 2009, 17:22

Ryan,

Where did you find this thread and bump it out after more than 3 years !!!!

btw, your ticket is RAC 78.. Wait for the charting to be done. The chances of your ticket getting confirmed is more. You need not have 78 cancellations. Only 39 would do.. If one cancels, another automatically gets a berth as in an RAC two are made to sit in a single berth.

If not in the charting, chances of confirmation once you enter the coach are good. Worst case, at least you can get into the train as it is now in RAC though your original booking status was W/L 59..

Ryan7611 · Oct 8th, 2009, 20:03

lol, thanks. i just searched for RAC and i thought this thread seemed most related. Happy to hear i have a shot at a berth. I am getting on the train either way. I want to leave hyperabad, been here long enough. i will lay down in the bathroom if i have to. im RAC73 now. the train is 10am tomorrow morning. When does the chart get prepared? i thought it would be ready the night before. also, is my printout with with "WL" good enough ? or do i need to print it again after the chart is prepared?

arunganpath · Oct 8th, 2009, 20:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan7611

lol, thanks. i just searched for RAC and i thought this thread seemed most related. Happy to hear i have a shot at a berth. I am getting on the train either way. I want to leave hyperabad, been here long enough. i will lay down in the bathroom if i have to. im RAC73 now. the train is 10am tomorrow morning. When does the chart get prepared? i thought it would be ready the night before. also, is my printout with with "WL" good enough ? or do i need to print it again after the chart is prepared?

1. The chart should be prepared by this night.
2. Your printout is good enough. The TTE will match the PNR number with the berth allotted to you.

thanks

indracal · Oct 8th, 2009, 20:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan7611

When does the chart get prepared? i thought it would be ready the night before.

It is generally 2-4 hours before the scheduled departure of the train from originating station that the chart is prepared.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan7611

also, is my printout with with "WL" good enough ? or do i need to print it again after the chart is prepared?

Yes, good enough. Why? Please have a look at this post, should explain: Booking rail tickets from abroad- a Beginner's Guide

steven_ber · Oct 9th, 2009, 13:30

For a 10:00 am departure, the chart should be prepared the night before.

A high RAC number simply means more carriages, Sleeper Class generally has 10-12 RAC seats per carriage.

Ryan will be on the train now, he'll either be smiling in his own berth, or sat between 12 bulky cases, a goat and 5 kids asking "What Country?" (I'd still rather be there than sat at home), about now he'll be on his 4th Chai and wondering if the old man in the corner will ever stop staring.

Ryan7611 · Oct 10th, 2009, 12:42

lol, steve not too far off. i was actually sitting with my legs hanging out the train door (as i have spent many 100's of kms doing in India) because there were 5 people sitting on my bench. that is, until my shins smashed into a concrete platform at 90km/hr. by some miracle of the Hindu gods, the only thing i lost was my flip flops which went flying off. no fractures and barely any broken skin. i have no idea how i walked away from this with minor injuries. but at last, i am here in Puri for a few days on the beach

but on a good note, the conductor assigned me a berth by writing #61 on my ticket in pen. i was happy but a little skeptical because this was not done with a computer. sure enough, 9 hours later, some guy came with a ticket also with #61 in pen. i looked at his ticket and he was WL 87 (mine was WL 59 so i knew i was ahead). there was a lot of talk in Hindi around the section but i was not going to move. a conductor never came around to resolve the issue, but im certain i was right. that guy was never entitled to a berth and he was assigned one by mistake.

im glad i went through all of this because now i understand the system much better. Trial by fire!

Mar 18th, 2006, 11:55	#1
sophia Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 10	Seats in sleeper class on an overnight train? My friend and I just bought tickets on an overnight train, and stupidly we waited for the last minute. The man at the reservation counter told us there were no more berths available, but he could sell us tickets for seats in sleeper class, and it was quite likely we would get a berth anyway. So, on the tickets it has seat numbers, and its definitely for sleeper class, not chair, so what does this mean? How can we have seats and not berths when the numbering is the same for both? Are we going to be forced out of our seats at nine and made to wander the train all night?

Mar 18th, 2006, 12:00	#2
steven_ber Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: South of England. Posts: 11,567	More details needed. Is there a waitlist number (WL/XX) - please give both (WL/XX - WL/XY) Is there an RAC number (RAC/XX) - Please give both (RAC/XX - RAC/XY) Or a combination of the 2 (WL/XX - RAC/XY) __________________ . How to get helpful replies to your transport/Itinerary questions. Train information. RAC & Waitlists explained.

Mar 18th, 2006, 12:06	#4
ddutta Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: kolkata Posts: 803	Seat in sleeper class is possible in case of RAC only. Where you will have a seat (that is side lower seat in most cases ) initially & you will be alloted a berth (sleeper) incase of any cancelation /vacancy. In worst case ie if there is no cancelation/vacancy if will have to continue your journey seating /sharing a sinlgle sleeper with another RAC passenger.You dont have to vacate your seat. __________________ "If you smile at me I will understand, because that is something everyone everywhere does in the same language"

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Mar 18th, 2006, 12:02	#3
jyotirmoy Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 5,223	I think what you have got is what is called an RAC ticket. This means you will have a seat but not a berth. If berths are cancelled you may get them depending on what your RAC number.

Mar 18th, 2006, 12:08	#5
steven_ber Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: South of England. Posts: 11,567	It is likely that you have RAC tickets, this means Reserved Against Cancellation. With an RAC ticket you can board the train. Some (lower) side berths are kept as (2) seats for RAC ticket holders, if someone doesn't turn up for the train at the last minute - one of the RAC ticket holders are given that vacent berth, then the 2 seats are turned into a berth, giving the 2nd RAC ticket holder a berth. This does mean however, that you are unlikely to have berths next to each other. EDIT NOTE - Sorry jyotirmoy & ddutta, we seemed to have all been replying at the same time.

Mar 19th, 2006, 15:42	#6
sophia Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 10	Thanks for the advice everyone. Yes, we have RAC tickets, and I'm very happy to be able to have some idea what that means before I get on the train.

Mar 21st, 2006, 11:23	#7
vsp27759 V.SRINIVASA PRASAD Join Date: May 2005 Location: HYDERABAD Posts: 2,725	Dear Sophia, Your observation:- "My friend and I just bought tickets on an overnight train"; "but he could sell us tickets for seats in sleeper class," --------------- @@@Now,if possible, please indicate the following details:- 1) Date of Journey 2) Train Number (**or Name) 2) Starting Station 3) Terminating Station ----------- V.Srinivasa Prasad 21.3.2006/10.25 hrs.

Mar 21st, 2006, 15:17	#8
sophia Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 10	Thanks for your help, but my trip was actually a couple days ago and I got it all sorted out!

Oct 8th, 2009, 13:17	#9
Ryan7611 Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: new york, NY Posts: 48	i have a train leaving in 24 hours - train 8646 from hyderabad to Bhunesbwar. its 20+ hours overnight. Booking status was W/L 59. Current Status is RAC 78. so i am definitely on the train. should I try to make other plans? is this ride just going to be terrible? is there any chance i get a berth ? 78 people canceling in 24 hrs seems unlikely

Oct 8th, 2009, 17:22	#10
arunganpath Junior most member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 749	Ryan, Where did you find this thread and bump it out after more than 3 years !!!! btw, your ticket is RAC 78.. Wait for the charting to be done. The chances of your ticket getting confirmed is more. You need not have 78 cancellations. Only 39 would do.. If one cancels, another automatically gets a berth as in an RAC two are made to sit in a single berth. If not in the charting, chances of confirmation once you enter the coach are good. Worst case, at least you can get into the train as it is now in RAC though your original booking status was W/L 59..

Oct 8th, 2009, 20:03	#11
Ryan7611 Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: new york, NY Posts: 48	lol, thanks. i just searched for RAC and i thought this thread seemed most related. Happy to hear i have a shot at a berth. I am getting on the train either way. I want to leave hyperabad, been here long enough. i will lay down in the bathroom if i have to. im RAC73 now. the train is 10am tomorrow morning. When does the chart get prepared? i thought it would be ready the night before. also, is my printout with with "WL" good enough ? or do i need to print it again after the chart is prepared?

Oct 9th, 2009, 13:30	#14
steven_ber Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: South of England. Posts: 11,567	For a 10:00 am departure, the chart should be prepared the night before. A high RAC number simply means more carriages, Sleeper Class generally has 10-12 RAC seats per carriage. Ryan will be on the train now, he'll either be smiling in his own berth, or sat between 12 bulky cases, a goat and 5 kids asking "What Country?" (I'd still rather be there than sat at home), about now he'll be on his 4th Chai and wondering if the old man in the corner will ever stop staring.

Oct 10th, 2009, 12:42	#15
Ryan7611 Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: new york, NY Posts: 48	lol, steve not too far off. i was actually sitting with my legs hanging out the train door (as i have spent many 100's of kms doing in India) because there were 5 people sitting on my bench. that is, until my shins smashed into a concrete platform at 90km/hr. by some miracle of the Hindu gods, the only thing i lost was my flip flops which went flying off. no fractures and barely any broken skin. i have no idea how i walked away from this with minor injuries. but at last, i am here in Puri for a few days on the beach but on a good note, the conductor assigned me a berth by writing #61 on my ticket in pen. i was happy but a little skeptical because this was not done with a computer. sure enough, 9 hours later, some guy came with a ticket also with #61 in pen. i looked at his ticket and he was WL 87 (mine was WL 59 so i knew i was ahead). there was a lot of talk in Hindi around the section but i was not going to move. a conductor never came around to resolve the issue, but im certain i was right. that guy was never entitled to a berth and he was assigned one by mistake. im glad i went through all of this because now i understand the system much better. Trial by fire!