From the chai sellers calling out on platforms to the constant noise of trains, Indian Railways holds countless stories and secrets. While on one hand, many people take back good memories, on the other hand, many people have to face many problems. However, there is one common problem faced by every traveller, which is getting a perfect berth. For most, especially the elderly or those with health issues, getting a lower berth feels like winning a lottery. However, everyone gets it.
While everybody waits in the hope of luck or timing, one viral video recently captured the attention of everyone. In that clip, a TTE (Travelling Ticket Examiner) reveals a simple, lesser-known trick that may make your next booking smarter. The video has left frequent travelers curious to know whether they have been missing an easy hack all this time. The tip, shared as plain as words, promises to change the way passengers approach train ticket reservations. So, let’s get to know about this trick:
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A train TTE recently shared how to book a lower berth like an expert
It doesn’t matter which coach it is; each single one of them has a limited number of lower berths. Because there are so few, not everyone gets the berth they want, no matter how early they book. A similar story was seen in the Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express, where four senior citizens, traveling together in a 2AC coach, faced the same problem. None of them got the lower berth, even though all were eligible for the senior citizen quota.
Upon inquiring with the TTE about it, his reply explained not only why it happened but also gave an effective booking strategy. The video of the occurrence has been going viral on the Internet. The video was shared by a TTE named Jalvesh Kumar, who is seen in the video. In the video, he explained the situation, saying,
Today, four people, all are senior citizens, are travelling on the 12424 Dibrugarh Rajdhani. However, the berths they received are upper and middle berths. So, they asked the question: why didn’t they receive lower berths despite being senior citizens?
Explaining how to get a lower berth, he says,
If someone wants the lower berth as a senior citizen, you need to book only two tickets in one PNR. Booking more than two tickets (three or four) at a time will not provide the senior citizen benefit. Therefore, if someone wants the benefit of a lower berth in the future, book only 1-2 passenger tickets.
Have a look at the original video:
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The reel caught everyone’s attention and received mixed responses
Within no time, the reel went viral not only on Instagram but also on different social media applications. It’s also racked up thousands of likes and comments. While many thanked him for sharing a tip, others said it’s not working. Many also shared how they were struggling to get lower berths for senior citizens despite having a proper set of rules.
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Have a look at some of the comments:
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How does berth allotment work in Indian Railways?
The Indian Railways’ Passenger Reservation System automatically prioritizes lower berths for eligible senior citizens under specific conditions. When one or two senior citizens book tickets together on a single PNR, the system applies the Senior Citizen/Lower Berth Quota, increasing the chances of getting a lower berth.
However, in case there are more than two senior citizens booked together, or if there is any other mixture of senior and non-senior passengers on the same ticket, the reservation automatically falls into the general quota. In such cases, even passengers who are eligible based on their age may also not get a lower berth. Incidentally, this is not a new revelation; IRCTC had clarified it on social media many times.
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Lower berth/Sr. Citizen quota berths are lower berths earmarked only for male age of 60 years and above/female age of 45 years and above, when travelling alone or two passengers ( under mentioned criteria travelling on one ticket). If there are more than two senior citizens or…
— IRCTC (@IRCTCofficial) August 9, 2025
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