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Hyderabad: Railway passengers carrying baggage beyond the prescribed free allowance will be able to book excess luggage online while reserving their tickets from July 31, doing away with the need to visit parcel offices separately for luggage van bookings, railway officials said.

The facility follows a Railway Board decision permitting passengers to book personal luggage, within prescribed maximum limits, for carriage in reserved compartments, with the option being integrated into the online ticket reservation system.

Officials said the free and maximum luggage allowances for AC 3-tier, AC chair car and second-class compartments would remain unchanged, and that booking of excess luggage would not be permitted in classes where the maximum permissible limit is the same as the free allowance.

Free allowance up to 70 kg

According to officials, passengers can currently carry luggage free of charge up to 70 kg in AC first class, 50 kg in first class and AC 2-tier, 40 kg in AC 3-tier, AC chair car and Sleeper Class and 35 kg in second class.

Luggage beyond the free allowance can be carried by paying 1.5 times the luggage rate, subject to class-wise maximum limits – 150 kg for AC first class, 100 kg for first class and AC 2-tier, 80 kg for sleeper class and 70 kg for second class. This includes the free allowance. Excess luggage booking will not be available for AC 3-tier and AC chair car, where the free allowance and maximum permissible limit are the same.

Officials cautioned that passengers found carrying unbooked or partially booked luggage beyond the permissible limits, either during the journey or at their destination, would be liable to pay penalties.

Size limits, parcel booking rules

The Railways have also prescribed maximum size limits for baggage carried inside coaches. This is 55 cm x 45 cm x 22.5 cm for AC chair car and AC 3-tier and 100 cm x 60 cm x 25 cm for AC first class, AC 2-tier, sleeper class and general class. Oversized luggage may be denied entry into compartments and will have to be booked in the train’s luggage or parcel van instead.

Separately, officials said parcel bookings are also subject to weight limits, with passengers holding AC or first class tickets allowed to book up to 500 kg of non-household goods and 1,000 kg of household goods, while those travelling in non-AC classes can book up to 300 kg of non-household goods and 500 kg of household goods.

Luggage charges vary depending on the distance travelled, the train service and the weight of the consignment, with a minimum charge of Rs 30 calculated in slabs of 10 kg over a minimum distance of 50 km, officials said.