Travel Classes In Indian Railways: 2S, SL, UR, 3A, 2A, 3E, CC & Many More

Could you make a booking through a non-reservation train and have no idea about the differences between Railways Classes found on it? So, traveling is one of the essential parts of human life. Different sorts of tickets are designed for various events.

But if you are traveling long distances, then it becomes essential to maintain the hygiene of the bathrooms. It is also required to make the living area smooth. Alternatively, even if you have to buy a train travel ticket for an important guest’s ride; you can go with something like First AC or AC Executive Class tickets.

Therefore, it is advisable to clarify what the travel classes on Indian Railways must be.

Travel Classes in Indian Railways

A total of 11 Seat Classes are found in Indian Railways. Therefore, every ticket is not the same.

In this post, we will illustrate each class of travel because the next time you are seeking tickets; you should make a well-informed decision.

Unreserved General Class (UR)

UR stands for Unreserved General Class. The Unreserved General Class was for when you could not get a ticket on time or wanted to save money. However, there is a need to make compromises in convenience and comfort. These are primarily congested, and even at times; the floors do not get a spare. While these may be okay for short road trips, they are never recommended as an option when traveling a long distance. But this is often what poor people in India can afford on board the intercity buses. This is the least expensive travel class in Indian Railways.

Total Berths: 18-24

Chart Prepared manually.

Inside pantry cars, food is prepared on board the train.

This class allows pets (dog or any other animal) with some terms and conditions.

Shower rooms (In some trains).

Second Seating AC (2S)

The abbreviation 2S refers to Second-class Seating. The 2S seating is a low-cost alternative for day travel and can be found on nearly all intercity trains as well as the Jan Shatabdi series. There are both reserved and unreserved seats. Although some of the more recent carriages have seats, most carriage benches are well-cushioned. But in this class, there are no provisions for sleep. Fans used for cooling carriages. In the end, it is a more convenient and safer option of traveling compared to the Unreserved General class which has best be avoided as much as possible.

Sleeper Class (SL)

SL means Sleeper Class. The sleeper class has about 72-80 berths, with each compartment accommodating eight people. They are typically very noisy, cramped, and filthy. The biggest challenge of traveling by sleeper class is the search for a clean bathroom. Still, if you are lucky with your luck, they could coincide with both Western toilets and Indian ones.

Each compartment that consists of open-plan carriages has six beds. The two compartments are flanked on either side by three tiers of the beds, which have been stacked vertically. Throughout the day, you need to fold the middle mattresses against the walls of compartments so that visitors can sit on their lower beds. Two more whiles of beds are placed on the aisle off from these compartments.

The roof of the cart is ventilated through fans, and bars on windows prevent burglary because they are often left open.

AC Chair (CC)

The abbreviation CC means AC Chair. AC Chair has a complete chair coach along with an independent 3-by2 seating accommodation. They are short-distance trains and may be a backup system for buses. The overhead space serves for the storage of your luggage. And there are small tables that can be set behind your front seat and opened when necessary. They are perfect for a one-day trip and short trips.

Third AC or AC 3-tier (3A)

3A means AC three-tiers. The 3A Travel sub-class way of traveling by train is the most chosen one as it gives moderate satisfaction that meets travelers’ budget. For this reason, they are always the coaches with the most weight on a train. It holds 8 berths in every chamber. On the other hand, though this small drawback is that an adult can’t sit erect when both upper berths are also drawn. In addition, there are no reading lamps.

Second AC or AC 2-tier (2A)

Ac 2-Tier is designated by the number, which stands for 2A. The 2A, or the two-tier AC class is popular among Indian elite sections. Additionally, the floor space is so much bigger as there are only four bunk beds per cabin. The sleeping places have a two-level bed, whereby the beds are stacked in vertical rows on either side. In the center corridor, there are two levels of bunk beds on both sides just as in other classes.

The best benefit of purchasing tickets for the 2AC compartment is that there are privacy curtains and reading lights, and you can stay away from interaction if it is needed.

First AC (1A)

1A means first class. The first AC sleeper class train tickets are the costliest accommodation in India. Such tickets can even be more expensive than plane tickets. And the facilities here are unmatched. Each compartment has a lockable door inside it. There are big berths and a dustbin is provided. It seems like a hotel room on wheels.

And you need not worry about hygiene. this food is also distinctively different from the ones served elsewhere. You shall be able to order from a menu. It is fully AC, having 2 coupes and a total number of cabins in the regions equal to four. If you would like to revel in luxury, then it is likely that perhaps this is the place.

However, this course seems to be headed to extinction after a few years- similar to that of the dinosaurs.

Third AC economy (3E)

3E means Third Class of AC Economy. The 3E travel is offered on Duronto trains and Garib Rath Express. It was a scheme by Lalu Prasad Yadav, allowing the poor to travel on AC coaches. The 3E class is almost the same as SA seats but it comprises only six side berths and three upper women’s berths. This sums up to 9 berths. Due to the additional side-berth, a little crowdedness can be observed for a day train.

• Total Berth: 72-81

• Bedroll charges extra Rs. 25/- for some trains.

• Side middle berth extra.

First Class (FC)

FC means First Class. The First Class was formerly a preferred class by the wealthy, particularly during the late '70s and early '80s. They are non-AC coaches though they used to be revered before AC coaches were developed. They comprise the two-berth coupes and cabins with locked doors from inside. They are fitted with reading lights and hygiene remains the least of concerns. As time evolved only a few people started travelling in 3Aclass and these were phased out slowly.

AC Executive Class (EC)

EC stands for AC Executive Class. These are analogous to business class in air travel. They are spacious due to the 2-by-2 seating arrangements, without sleeping arrangements. Travelers will feel more comfortable due to greater leg space and a wider middle walkway.

And yes! You will also be responsible for paying the catering fees when you travel to EC. EC is present in Shatabdi Express, Tejas trains, and some double-decker trains as well. 

Executive Anubhuti (EA)

‘EA’ stands for Executive Anubhuti. These are unique trains fitted with airplane-like lodgings that offer people a uniquely different way of traveling. These qualities are even better than those of Shatabdi trains. It does not include a sleeper berth.

However, it is a 2*2 seater in which the front segment comprises two LCD scenes. The seats can be reclined, and outlets for charging are included too. Other facilities include automatic doors, washroom occupancy indicators, and many more.

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