While booking a ticket on the IRCTC portal, passengers will also be able to declare and book luggage that exceeds the free baggage limit. Until now, passengers had to go to the parcel office at the railway station to book luggage that exceeded the free baggage limit.
The online system will display class-wise free luggage allowances, maximum permissible weight, restricted items, applicable charges and penalty rules before the journey.
How to book your luggage online
Go to the website at www.parcel.indianrail.gov.in.
Register and Login to the Portal.
Enter the origin and destination railway stations.
Select the train from the list suggested by the system.
Fill-up the booking form (Forwarding Note) with parcel details.
The system will show the approximate freight charges.
Submit the online Forwarding Note.
Take a printout of the e-Forwarding Note and hand over the parcel at the parcel office (godown) at the originating station.
Railway staff will weigh the parcel and calculate the final freight charges.
Pay the freight charges and collect the Railway Receipt (RR).
You can track your parcel online using the Track & Trace feature.
You will receive an SMS when the parcel reaches the destination station.
Show the original Railway Receipt (RR) at the destination station to collect your parcel.
How much luggage can you carry?
Passengers travelling in AC First Class can carry up to 70 kg of luggage free of cost, while the maximum permissible limit is 150 kg after paying applicable charges. Those travelling in First Class and AC 2-Tier can carry 50 kg free, with a maximum limit of 100 kg.
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Passengers in Sleeper Class are allowed 40 kg of luggage free of charge and can carry up to 80 kg by paying the required excess luggage charges. In Second Class, passengers can carry 35 kg free, while the maximum permitted limit is 70 kg.
For AC 3-Tier and AC Chair Car, passengers can carry up to 40 kg of luggage. Since the free allowance and the maximum permissible limit are the same, excess luggage booking is not allowed in these classes.
Luggage size
Railways also fixed maximum bag sizes that can be taken inside coaches.
AC 3-Tier and AC Chair Car: Maximum size is 55 cm x 45 cm x 22.5 cm
AC First Class, AC 2-Tier, Sleeper and General Class: Maximum size is 100 cm x 60 cm x 25 cm
Luggage charges calculation
If your luggage exceeds the free allowance, you’ll have to pay 1.5 times the normal luggage rate. The minimum luggage charge is ₹30, calculated in 10 kg slabs, and the minimum distance considered is 50 km.
