Starting April, passengers will have the opportunity to travel in premier Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains even if they have booked tickets for other mail or express train.
The journey will be allowed in the premier trains only for the same destination the basic fare ticket is booked for.
Indian Railways is all set to launch an alternative train accommodation scheme ‘Vikalp’ from April 1. Under this scheme, the wait-listed passengers will get an option of selecting alternative train on the same route. Tested for six months in six sectors, Vikalp will be available in the e-ticket format booking initially.
Here is all you need to know about Vikalp:
- Passengers have been offered the flexibility to cancel tickets, if they don’t like the alternative being offered but cancellation would be treated as the cancellation of a fully confirmed ticket.
- Vikalp follows few of the existing refund rules, like no refund is allowed after the chart is prepared. Also, heavy cuts will be levied as cancellation fee from fully confirmed tickets.
- If one opts for Vikalp, while getting a waitlisted ticket in an ordinary/express train, chances are that one might get accommodation on Rajdhani or Shatabadi Express with no extra charges.
- 50 per cent will be levied as cancellation charge on the cancellation of tickets between 12 and four hours prior to departure.
- Chances of cancelling an alternative option will be less, as you will be given a list of options beforehand to select from, saving you from the much hassle.
- Nation-wide the availability of the berths in trains is just 12 per cent and around 46 crore berths are in circulations collectively from every sector.
- Fully Waiting list passengers, who opted for Vikalp should check their PNR after charting.
- No extra charges shall be levied from passengers nor any refund will be provided for the difference of fare.
