Railway Commercial
Railway Commercial
Key Information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| 1. Head of Commercial Dept. | Principal Chief Commercial Manager (PCCM) |
| 2. Apex Commercial Rule Book | Commercial Manual (Vol. I & II) |
| 3. Ticket types | i-Ticket, e-Ticket, PRS, UTS, ATVM, JTBS |
| 4. GST on rail tickets | 5 % for SL/2S, 12 % for AC classes (as on 2025) |
| 5. Refund on wait-listed e-ticket | Auto-refund within 3-7 days after charting |
| 6. Station-to-station distance > 500 km | Express surcharge applicable |
| 7. Luggage free allowance | 70 kg 1A, 50 kg 2A, 40 kg SL, 35 kg 2S |
| 8. Penalty for unbooked luggage | 6 × normal freight + ₹50 fine |
| 9. Vikalp Scheme | Opt for alternate train without change in fare |
| 10. Premium Tatkal quota | Dynamic pricing, 30 % of total seats |
| 11. UTS app validity | 45 min before to 45 min after journey time |
| 12. Child fare rule | ≥5 yrs full fare, <12 yrs concession 50 % |
| 13. Parcel weight limit per piece | 150 kg max, 2 m length max |
| 14. Season ticket discount | 15 % for 3-month, 25 % for 12-month |
| 15. IRCTC service charge on e-ticket | ₹15 SL/2S, ₹35 AC (capped) |
Important Points
- Reservation fee is non-refundable even if ticket is cancelled.
- Duplicate ticket can be issued only once and before chart preparation.
- RAC passengers are entitled to a berth (half or full) after charting.
- Break-journey facility is allowed twice for single-journey tickets > 500 km.
- MST (Monthly Season Ticket) is valid for unlimited travel between city pairs.
- ‘Train Side’ booking of parcels is allowed up to 2 hours before departure.
- Penalty for ticket-less travel is fare + ₹250 min fine + applicable charges.
- Senior citizen concession: 40 % for men (≥60 yrs), 50 % for women (≥58 yrs).
- Vikalp option does not guarantee allotment in the same class as original.
- Commercial inspectors check leakage of revenue through unbooked luggage & parcels.
- Refund rules allow TDR filing within 2 hrs of scheduled departure for e-tickets.
- GST input credit on rail freight is available to registered traders/transporters.
Practice MCQs
Question:01 Who heads the Commercial Department at the zonal level in Indian Railways?
A) CCM
B) PCCM
C) DRM
D) GM
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: PCCM (Principal Chief Commercial Manager) is the senior-most officer who heads the Commercial Department at the zonal level.
Question:02 What is the GST rate applicable on AC class rail tickets in 2025?
A) 5 %
B) 12 %
C) 18 %
D) 28 %
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: As per the GST notification effective for 2025, air-conditioned (AC) class rail tickets attract a 12 % GST rate.
Question:03 What is the free luggage allowance (in kg) permitted for a passenger travelling in Sleeper Class?
A) 35 kg
B) 40 kg
C) 50 kg
D) 70 kg
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Indian Railways allows 40 kg of luggage free of charge in Sleeper Class; any excess is chargeable as per 2026 rules.
Question:04 What is the penalty levied for carrying unbooked luggage in a train as per Indian Railways rules?
A) Twice the normal freight charge
B) Four times the normal freight charge
C) Six times the normal freight charge plus ₹50 fine
D) A flat fine of ₹50 only
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Indian Railways imposes a composite penalty of 6 × the freight that should have been paid for the unbooked weight, along with an additional ₹50 fine, to deter fare evasion and ensure proper booking of luggage.
Question:05 What does the Vikalp scheme permit a wait-listed passenger to opt for?
A) Change of boarding station once
B) Travel in an alternate train without paying extra fare
C) Complimentary upgrade to a higher class
D) Automatic full refund if still wait-listed after charting
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Vikalp gives wait-listed passengers the choice to shift to another train on the same route and date without any additional fare.
Question:06 What percentage of the total accommodation is earmarked as Premium Tatkal quota in Indian Railways?
A) 10 %
B) 20 %
C) 30 %
D) 50 %
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: As per the 2026 extant rules, 30 % of the total berths/seats in a train are reserved under the Premium Tatkal (PT) quota.
Question:07 A child aged 6 years must pay
A) No fare
B) 25 % of adult fare
C) 50 % of adult fare
D) Full adult fare
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Indian Railways rules stipulate that a child who has completed 5 years but is below 12 years must pay the full adult fare if a separate berth/seat is sought; otherwise for a shared berth 50 % fare is charged. Since the question asks what the child “must pay” (i.e., the maximum liability), the correct choice is full adult fare.
Question:08 Maximum weight permitted for a single parcel consignment on Indian Railways is
A) 100 kg
B) 150 kg
C) 200 kg
D) 250 kg
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: As per the 2026 Indian Railways Parcel Tariff, the maximum weight allowed per individual parcel piece is 150 kg.
Question:09 What is the season ticket discount for 12-month validity?
A) 10 %
B) 15 %
C) 25 %
D) 50 %
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Indian Railways offers a 25 % discount on the fare component of season tickets valid for 12 months to encourage long-distance commuter travel.
Question:10 [Within what time must a TDR for an e-ticket be filed?]
A) 30 minutes
B) 2 hours
C) 6 hours
D) 24 hours
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: As per 2026 refund rules, a Ticket Deposit Receipt (TDR) for an e-ticket has to be filed within 2 hours of the train’s scheduled departure to be eligible for a refund.
BETA
