Lakhs of employees and officers working in Indian Railways are issued Railway Passes and Concessional Ticket Orders (PTOs) for free travel under welfare facilities by the department. There is often a common belief among the general public that a railway employee or his family can travel anywhere in the country completely free of charge by just showing the pass in any train, in any compartment. However, this assumption is not entirely correct. Under the service rules of Indian Railways and the guidelines of the Board, strict conditions, class limits and train restrictions have been set for the travel of employees. 1. Is railway pass valid in every train? Privilege Pass available to railway employees is not applicable in all trains of the country: Ordinary and Superfast Mail/Express: The pass is fully valid in regular express, mail, passenger and suburban local trains. Premium trains (Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Vande Bharat, Duronto, Gatimaan): Employees can use the pass on these trains, but there are strict quota and post/pay-level requirements. Only limited seats (Pass Quota) are reserved for pass holders in every premium train. Luxury and Tourist Trains (Completely No-Entry): Railway Pass is not valid on Maharaja Express, Palace on Wheels, Golden Chariot or special tourist and Bharat Gaurav trains operated by IRCTC. To travel in these special trains, railway employees also have to buy full tickets like ordinary passengers. 2. In which class can I sit? Mathematics of post and pay level: No employee can sit in any class (like directly First AC or Executive Class) as per his wish. Eligibility for the pass is determined by the pay-matrix level and group (Group A, B, C, D) of the employee: Group 'A' and higher officers: They get Gold, Silver or Bronze Metal Pass and First Class 'A' pass under which they are eligible for First AC, Second AC or Vande Bharat Executive Class (EC) while on duty or privilege. Group 'B' and 'C' (Supervisor and middle pay-level): They get First Class or Second Class 'A' pass, allowing them to travel in 2nd AC, 3rd AC or Vande Bharat Chair Car (CC). Group 'C' and 'D' (initial pay level): Employees in the initial years of service get second class pass, allowing them to travel only in sleeper or second seating (2S). If an employee wants to travel in a higher class than his entitlement, he has to pay the fare difference as per rules. 3. Is travel through the pass unlimited? Railway employees do not get unlimited free travel throughout the year. As per Board rules: Group 'C' and 'D' non-gazetted employees get only 1 set privilege pass per year for the first 5 years of service. After completion of 5 years of regular service they are given 3 sets of privilege passes per year. Gazetted officers are eligible for up to 6 sets of passes per year. Even after retirement, employees are given the facility of a limited number of 'Post Retirement Supplementary Passes' (PRCP) depending on the length of service. 4. PTO (Privilege Ticket Order) is not completely free. Apart from the pass, employees also get the facility of 4 sets of PTO every year. PTO is not a free pass, but a discounted voucher. On booking tickets through PTO, the employee has to pay one-third (1/3rd) of the normal fare from his own pocket. 5. You cannot board the coach without confirmed reservation. In earlier times, the concept of directly boarding the train by showing paper pass has now completely ended after the e-pass (HRMS portal) system. To travel in reserved class (AC or Sleeper), the employee has to first go to the IRCTC portal or railway counter and book the ticket using his pass number. If the seat is not confirmed or RAC and remains waiting, the employee cannot travel in the reserved compartment without permission. Thus, Railway Pass is certainly an employee welfare benefit, but it is completely bound by rules, fixed quota and administrative restrictions.
