How To Avoid Booking Seats Near Toilet In Indian Railways

Traveling by train for long distances is indeed vexing if you cannot get a proper seat. Sitting for hours near the toilets can indeed be a pain and unhygienic as well. With people from different backgrounds using the toilets, you can expect a pungent stench and a constant ruckus because of the entrance. A train seat near toilets can be a mood breaker – the strong smell can be a detestable experience for the journey.

Today, let us discuss how you can book your tickets to not get your train seat near toilets and entrance doors:

Seating Pattern in IRCTC Trains

Trains under the Indian Railways have different types of coaches with specific layouts and designs. Their cost, berths, comfort, and facilities vary, but all of them have two gates and two toilets at each end of the coach. Let us look into the different layouts and sitting arrangements for the different types of coaches for long-distance trains.

AC 1st Class (1A)

The coach code assigned to AC 1st class is H. There are 24 berths – 1 upper and 1 lower in each coupe of the coach. The coupes can be closed and locked if necessary. Instead of side berths, a long walkway connects the coupes to the main door.

2 Tier AC Sleeper (2A)

The coach code assigned to 2 tier AC Sleeper class is ‘A’. Depending on the coach size, there can be 46 or 54 berths. The two-tier arrangement includes a lower and an upper berth. Though the coupes are open, curtains are provided for extra privacy.

3 Tier AC Sleeper (3A)

The coach code assigned to 3 tier AC Sleeper class is ‘B’. There are 64 berths in each coach. While the side berths follow a two-tier arrangement, the other side has a three-tier arrangement with upper, middle, and lower berths.

Sleeper Class(SL)

This is a non-AC coach with the coach code ‘S’. The coaches are capable of seating and providing sleeping berths for 72 individuals. Except for the non-availability of AC, the coach layout is very similar to 3 tier AC sleeper class and the windows can be opened to let air in.

Getting a seat near toilets in sleeper class can be a bad experience as they do not have a door, and you would have to suffer from a lot of fuss at the doorway and the foul smell of the toilets.

Second Seating (2S)

This is a non-AC coach with only seats available for sitting and not sleeping. There are 108 seats provided with no berths available.

AC Chair Car

This is an AC coach with the coach codes being C or D. Depending on the size of the coach, 67 or 75 people can sit. There are rows of 23 seats on either side of the aisle.

Garib Rath (3A)

All coaches of a Garib Rath train are AC and the assigned coach code is ‘G’. There are 81 berths in each coach and only 3-tier accommodation is available including side berths.

How does seat allocation work?

You would never want to be allotted a seat near the toilets. The chances of getting the perfect seat of your choice are usually slim, but you can often get near-perfect seats if you try. Though you cannot choose any particular seat number, IRCTC follows a special algorithm to allot seats to the passengers.

IRCTC ticket algorithm to allot seats

As per the algorithm, the seats in the middle of the coaches are the first seats to be allotted. This distributes the load equally in the coaches and maintains a proper balance in the train. After filling up the middle seats, the seats towards the end of the coach are allotted.

Here are a few tips to avoid getting a train seat near toilets

• Book your ticket as early as possible. IRCTC allots seats on a first-come-first-served basis from the middle of the coach. If you book early, there are higher chances of getting a seat in the middle of the coach – far away from the toilets.
• The official IRCTC site asks you to select your priorities while assigning seats. If you want train seats away from the toilets, it is better to not fill the priorities. If you do so, chances of getting seats towards the end of the coach increase significantly.
• If you are very lucky, you may even get a middle seat for booking late. This would mean that people with confirmed seats in the middle have canceled their tickets. You may not see it often but this happens occasionally.

We hope we were able to explain the process properly. Leave a comment and stay tuned for more information.