Rules as published on indianrail.gov.in, checked 3 Nov 2026. This is a guide, not a ticket or a receipt: the luggage office and the TTE apply the rules on the day.
Enter the total weight of your bags in kg.
Rules as published on indianrail.gov.in, checked 3 Nov 2026. This is a guide, not a ticket or a receipt: the luggage office and the TTE apply the rules on the day.
The allowance table
These are the kilograms per passenger on the Rules For Luggage, Indian Railways page, which we read on 3 November 2026. The page shows no date of its own. The maximum includes the free allowance.
| Class | Free | Marginal | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|
| AC First Class | 70 kg | 15 kg | 150 kg |
| AC 2-tier sleeper | 50 kg | 10 kg | 100 kg |
| First Class | 50 kg | 10 kg | 100 kg |
| AC 3-tier sleeper | 40 kg | 10 kg | 40 kg |
| AC Chair Car | 40 kg | 10 kg | 40 kg |
| Sleeper class | 40 kg | 10 kg | 80 kg |
| Second class | 35 kg | 10 kg | 70 kg |
For children the page says: “Children aged 5 and below 12 years are allowed half of the free allowance subject to the maximum of 50 Kgs.” We read the 50 kg as a child's maximum quantity. The page states no rule for children under 5, so the calculator does not count them. Anyone 12 or older gets the full allowance.
In AC 3-tier and AC Chair Car the table lists the same 40 kg as the free allowance and the maximum, next to a 10 kg marginal allowance. The calculator treats 40 kg as the limit in the compartment for those classes.
If you are over the limit
- Over the free allowance by a little: the page says you are charged at the normal luggage rate for your class. Found unbooked within the marginal allowance, the charge is 1.5 times the luggage scale rate.
- Over the marginal allowance, up to the class maximum: you can carry it in the compartment on payment at 1.5 times the luggage rate. Found unbooked, it is charged six times the luggage scale rate.
- Above the maximum: book it in advance to travel in the brake van. Found unbooked, it is charged six times the luggage scale rate, with a minimum of Rs 50.
- Book at the luggage office at least 30 minutes before the advertised departure. The minimum charge for luggage is Rs 30.
The page does not publish the per-kg scale rates, so the calculator shows no rupee total. Ask the luggage office for the charge. If you book your seat in advance, the page says you can book your luggage at the same time.
Bag size in the compartment
Trunks, suitcases and boxes up to 100 x 60 x 25 cm (length x breadth x height) can go in the compartment. In AC 3-tier and AC Chair Car the limit is 55 x 45 x 22.5 cm. Anything larger goes in the brake van as booked luggage. A package above 100 kg, or above 1 m x 1 m x 0.7 m, counts as bulky and is charged at double the rate. One side may run up to 10% over (110 cm or 77 cm) without the package counting as bulky, as long as it weighs no more than 100 kg.
The page also lists goods that are not allowed as luggage, including explosive, dangerous and inflammable articles, empty gas cylinders and acids. Scooters and cycles do not count toward the free allowance.
What we left out
We left out rupee totals (the scale rates are not on the page), any pooling of allowances across a party (the page does not say), and children under 5 (the page does not say). To find out when your train booking opens, use the train booking date calculator.
Questions
How much luggage is allowed in a train in India?
It depends on the class. The Indian Railways Rules For Luggage page lists a free allowance of 70 kg in AC First Class, 50 kg in AC 2-tier and First Class, 40 kg in AC 3-tier, AC Chair Car and Sleeper, and 35 kg in Second class. We checked the page on 3 November 2026.
What is the luggage limit in AC 3-tier?
The table lists 40 kg free and a 40 kg maximum for AC 3-tier and AC Chair Car, so anything over 40 kg per passenger goes in the brake van as booked luggage. Bags in the compartment must fit 55 x 45 x 22.5 cm.
What is the luggage limit in Sleeper class?
40 kg free, a 10 kg marginal allowance and an 80 kg maximum per passenger, including the free allowance.
How much luggage can a child carry on the train?
The page says children aged 5 and below 12 get half of the free allowance, subject to a maximum of 50 kg. It does not state a rule for children under 5, so the calculator leaves them out.
What happens if my luggage is over the limit?
Up to the class maximum you can carry it in the compartment on payment at 1.5 times the luggage rate. Beyond that it must be booked for the brake van. Unbooked luggage found above the marginal allowance is charged six times the luggage scale rate, with a minimum of Rs 50 above the maximum.
Can a group add up its luggage allowance?
The page does not say. The calculator adds up each passenger's allowance and tells you so. If one person carries most of the weight, check with the luggage office.
Why does the calculator not show a price in rupees?
The page gives the multipliers (1.5 times and six times the luggage scale rate) and the minimums of Rs 30 and Rs 50, but not the per-kg scale rates. We print no rupee total we could not source.
When do I book extra luggage?
At the luggage office at least 30 minutes before the advertised departure time, the page says. Passengers who book their seats in advance can book luggage at the same time.
Can Hey Ula plan my train trip today?
Not yet. Hey Ula is in early access with a waitlist and is letting travelers in gradually.