RAC ticket holders often find themselves in a situation where they have to share a seat with another passenger while traveling on trains.
RAC stands for Reservation Against Cancellation, which means that if a passenger with a confirmed seat cancels their ticket, the RAC ticket holder gets a chance to secure a confirmed seat.
However, if the seat remains unconfirmed, the RAC passenger is allocated half of a seat for the journey, without a provision for sleeping.
It is possible for both passengers to take turns resting on the seat with mutual consent. If a passenger with a confirmed seat cancels, the confirmed seat is allocated to the RAC passenger.
When it comes to facilities for RAC ticket holders in AC coaches, Indian Railways has made provisions to ensure their comfort.
In the past, RAC passengers did not receive bedding facilities, which made their journey uncomfortable, especially during cold weather.
Taking this into consideration, the Railway Board decided in 2017 to provide pillows, one bedsheet, and one blanket to each passenger with an RAC status in AC coaches.
Passengers with confirmed seats, on the other hand, receive one pillow, two bedsheets, one blanket, and one towel.
It’s worth noting that passengers with “waiting” status face different circumstances. Waiting status is the third category after confirmed and RAC bookings.
If any berths remain unoccupied after the confirmed and RAC passengers have been accommodated, those on the waiting list may receive confirmed seats. The chances of obtaining a confirmed seat with a waiting ticket are generally around 50%.
Passengers with waiting tickets are not permitted to travel in the reserved coach and must instead travel in the general compartment of the train. These passengers do not receive any additional facilities.
