Coach Details & Ticket Class Codes

Indian Railways Coach Details & Ticket Class Codes

Old Coach Designations

• S-1, S-2, etc., are usually the sleeper coaches on overnight trains, but can also indicate sitting-only coaches in day trains on SER, ECoR, NR, ER, some SR.
• SC-1, SC-2, etc., are second-class sitting-only coaches (WR, CR, etc.).
• A-1, A-2, etc., are the AC 2-tier coaches.
• H-1, H-2, etc., are the AC first class coaches.
• HA-1, HA-2, etc., are the composite 1AC/2AC coaches.
• AS-1, AS-2, etc., are the AC 3-tier coaches (except Garib Rath).
• FC (sometimes just F) is used for first-class
• G is used for the Garib Rath AC 3-tier coaches.
• GC-1, etc. is used for coachs of Garib Rath chair cars
• FS-1 is the rare first-class / sleeper composite seen on the Brahmaputra Mail
• CC (less common) and C are used for chair car coaches. AC Chair car coaches are most often marked C-1, C-2, etc.
• EC is used for executive chair car coaches.
• (OLD) SS-1, SS-2, etc., were used for second-class sitting coaches.
• (OLD?) SL-1, SL-2, etc., were used for sleeper coaches.
• GS and sometimes (rarely) GEN are used for unreserved second-class accommodation.
• UR-1, UR-2, etc., are also used for unreserved second-class accommodation.
• ES-1, ES-2, ..., are sometimes occasionally seen for what seem to be ordinary sleeper coaches -- probably stands for 'Extra' sleeper coaches provided to accommodate rush travel periods.
• SL : Sleeper class. Berths for sleeping at night, seats by day. The number of seats is greater than the number of berths.
• EX-1 : Also sometimes used for extra coaches attached to trains to clear rush traffic.

New Coach Designations (2007)

• Sleeper coaches' designations are unchanged: S-1, S-2, etc.
• 1st AC coaches' designations are unchanged: H-1, H-2, etc.
• AC 2-tier coaches' designations are unchanged: A-1, A-2, etc.
• First class coaches' designations unchanged: FC or F.
• AC Chair Car coaches' designations unchanged: C-1, C-2, etc.
• B-1, B-2, etc. : AC 3-tier (formerly AS-1, etc.)
• D-1, etc. : Second-class sitting (formerly S-1, or SC-1, etc.)
• E-1, etc. : Executive class (formerly EC-1, etc.).
• J-1, etc. : Garib Rath chair car (formerly GC-1, etc.)
• Garib Rath AC 3-tier coaches' designation is unchanged (G-1, etc.).
• Composite coaches combine letters for the constituent classes, e.g., HA for 1st AC cum 2nd AC, AB for AC 2-tier cum AC 3-tier
• L-1, L-2, etc., are sometimes used for high-capacity 3AC coaches. This is intended to be an internal code for ticketing and passenger information, but is sometimes used for seat charts.
• M-1, M-2, etc., are sometimes used for high-capacity chair-car coaches. This is intended to be an internal code for ticketing and passenger information, but is sometimes used for seat charts.
• N-1, N-2, etc., are sometimes used for high-capacity (81 berths) sleeper coaches. This is intended to be an internal code for ticketing and passenger information, but is sometimes used for seat charts.

Some other codes exist, e.g., 'PC' for the pantry car although these do not play a role in reservations and ticketing.

  Railway Class Ticket Codes

• 1A : First class air-conditioned (Executive class in Shatabdi Exp. is treated as equivalent to this for fare purposes). Berths for sleeping at night, seats by day.
• 2A : Air-conditioned 2-tier sleeper. Berths for sleeping at night, seats by day.
• FC : First class. Berths for sleeping at night, and seats by day. The number of seats is greater than the number of berths.
• 3A : Air-conditioned 3-tier sleeper. Berths for sleeping at night, seats by day. The number of seats is greater than the number of berths.
• 3H : High-capacity air-conditioned 3-tier sleeper. Berths for sleeping at night, seats by day. The number of seats is greater than the number of berths.
• CC : Air-conditioned chair-car. Only sitting accommodation (individual chairs). Occasionally (especially on SR and SWR) these are referred to as Second Class AC Chair Cars, to       distinguish them from the Executive Chair Car.
• CH : High-capacity version of the air-conditioned chair-car class. Only sitting accommodation (individual chairs).
• EC : Executive Class, or First Class Air-conditioned chair-car. Only sitting accommodation (individual chairs).
• SL : Sleeper class. Berths for sleeping at night, seats by day. The number of seats is greater than the number of berths.
• SH : High-capacity (81 berths) sleeper class. Berths for sleeping at night, seats by day. The number of seats is greater than the number of berths.
• 2S : Second class Sitting. Only sitting accommodation with bench style seats.
• ACC : (OLD - no longer in use) First class Air-conditioned sleeper, with coupes of 2 and 4 berths each