Understanding Coach Position and Seat Map Layout in Railways

When you book train tickets, you see some abbreviations and wonder what they mean. Terms like train coach position and seat map layout are common for travelers. Let’s learn what these terms mean and why they are used in Indian Railways.

Train Coach Positions

Travelers often find it hard to know the platform number and coach location when they arrive at the railway station. This problem gets worse with the rush of passengers at the inquiry counter and when the display board malfunctions. But with the train coach position, they do not face this problem.

Coach position displays are placed on the platform to show where each coach will stop. Passengers can stand at the allotted position display. This way, they do not have to run around the platform to find their coach.

Checking the train running status before reaching the station can also help you stay informed about the train’s current location.

The coach number is printed on every train ticket. You can identify the exact type of coach you are allotted with the help of the table above. A “composite” coach type means the coach has different kinds of classes. A “full” coach type means it has only one type of class.

Train Seat Map Layout and Coach Numbering

Indian Railways offers different classes of coaches based on price and comfort. The highest-priced are AC coaches, which include 1st AC, 2nd AC, and 3rd AC. In the non-AC category, there are sleeper coaches, which are cheaper than AC coaches, and the most affordable general coaches. Many people in India travel in general coaches. Learn about the seat layout for all these coaches.

First AC Coach Seat Layout

First AC is the most expensive class in Indian Railways, with fares almost equal to flight tickets.

First AC coaches have eight cabins, while half AC first-class coaches have three cabins. Each coach has an attendant to assist passengers, and beds are included in the fare. These air-conditioned coaches run only on popular routes and can carry 10 or 18 passengers. The sleeper berths are wide and comfortable.

These coaches have carpets, providing an exceptional travel experience. They also offer luxury amenities for passengers.

Second AC Coach Seat Layout

The second AC coach in Indian Railways is fully air-conditioned. It offers sleeping berths, ample legroom, curtains, and a separate reading lamp for each traveler. The seats are arranged in two levels with six sections: four seats across the width of the coach and two on the side. Each berth has a curtain for privacy. These coaches can accommodate 48 to 54 passengers at a time.

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Third AC Coach Seat Layout

The third AC coach in Indian Railways is fully air-conditioned and has sleeping berths. The seats are arranged similarly to the 2nd AC coach but with three tiers instead of two. This means there are eight seats in total per section. Unlike 2nd AC, there is no separate reading light. The cost of bedding is included in the fare. These coaches can accommodate 64 passengers, and in broad gauge (ICF) coaches, they can carry up to 72 passengers.

Third AC Economy Sleeper Seat Map Layout

The third AC economy coach is fully air-conditioned and has sleeping berths. Currently, this type of coach is available in Garib Rath trains. The seats are arranged like those in 3rd AC, with three tiers. However, it does not have reading lamps or curtains. The cost of bedding, which is 25 rupees per passenger, is deducted from the fare. Many middle-class passengers in India travel in these coaches.

AC Chair Car Seat Layout

This railway coach is also fully air-conditioned but has only seating, as the name suggests, a chair car. It usually has a seating area of five people in a row. Overall, passengers travelling in it are not able to find it comfortable to sleep; they have to sit during the entire journey, which does not cover long distances.

Sleeper Class Seat Layout

Sleeper class is the most common coach in Indian Railways. Typically, 10 or more sleeper coaches are added to a train. Each coach has three berths across the width and two along the length, with 72 seats in total. There is often a rush for ticket reservations in this coach. Since not everyone can afford to travel in an AC coach, many passengers prefer the sleeper class.

Second Sitting Non AC

Second seating coaches are the cheapest class in Indian Railways. They only have seating facilities, with three seats on one side. An LHB coach has 108 seats. These coaches are also known as General coaches. They are very crowded during holidays and festivals.

Convenient Layout Design for Passengers

Travelers can now easily check the status of seats—whether they are empty, booked, or partially booked—with just one click after the chart is prepared. This allows passengers to see if a train seat is vacant or not.

The first reservation chart can be viewed online 4 hours before the train starts, and the second chart can be viewed half an hour before departure. The second chart shows any changes in seat allocation. This feature is available on both the web and mobile versions of IRCTC’s e-ticket booking platform.

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The new interface displays the layout of all nine categories used in train reservations. You can see how many seats are vacant in sleeper or different AC classes and book tickets if needed. Previously, frequent travelers couldn’t access information about empty seats after the chart was made. This new interface benefits passengers and helps increase railway revenue.

Find Train Layout Information Online

  1. First, log in to the IRCTC website and look for the new option to view charts/vacancy. Click on this option to open a new webpage.
  2. Enter your journey details, including train number, date of travel, and boarding station. Then, click on the ‘Get Train Chart’ option.
  3. You will now see the reservation chart.
  4. You can check vacant seat availability for booking by category and coach.
  5. Click on the coach number to view its layout.

AC Chair Car (Shatabdi/Duronto Express) – Coach Seat Map Layout and Numbering

The Shatabdi Express was launched in 1988 to celebrate the birth anniversary of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. It was the idea of the then Railway Minister, Shri Madhavrao Scindia.

The Shatabdi Express is one of the fastest trains in India, with an average speed of about 130 km/h. It runs with an LHB rake and has a total of 11 coaches, including 7 AC chair car coaches and 2 executive class coaches. Each coach has a seating capacity of 75.

The full coach composition of the Shatabdi Express is Engine–EOG–C1–C2–C3–C4–C5–C6–C7–E1–E2–EOG.

Purushottam Express Coach Seat Map and Layout

The Purushottam Express is a daily train that runs between Puri in Odisha and New Delhi. It covers a distance of 1857 km at an average speed of 61 km/h to reach New Delhi Railway Station.

This train runs with an LHB coach and has a total of 22 coaches. The Purushottam Express includes one 2nd AC coach, four 3rd AC coaches, twelve sleeper coaches, two 2nd unreserved seating coaches, and one pantry car coach.

The full coach composition of the Purushottam Express is Engine–EOG–GS–S1–S2–S3–S4–S5–S6–S7–S8–S9–S10–S11–S12–PC–A1–B4–B3–B2–B1–GS–EOG.

Kashi Express Coach Seat Map and Layout

The Kashi Express, train number 15017/15018, is a regular mail/express train of Indian Railways. It runs between Lokmanya Tilak Terminus in Mumbai, Maharashtra, and Gorakhpur Junction in Uttar Pradesh. The train uses an ICF rake and has a total of 23 coaches. It includes one 2nd AC coach, two 3rd AC coaches, and thirteen sleeper coaches. The engine of the Kashi Express reverses at Prayagraj Junction.

The full coach composition of the Kashi Express is Engine–SLR–GEN–GEN–S1–S2–S3–S4–S5–S6–S7–S8–S9–S10–S11–S12–A1–B1–BE1–S13–GEN–GEN–GEN–SLR.

Kerala Sampark Kranti Express Coach Seat Map and Layout

The Kerala Sampark Kranti Express (12217/12218) is a major train of Indian Railways, running between Chandigarh Junction and Kochuveli. This superfast express train connects Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala and Chandigarh, the capital cities of Kerala and Punjab, respectively. It is the longest-running Sampark Kranti train, covering about 3415 km one way.

The train uses an LHB rake and has a total of 22 coaches. It includes one 1st AC cum 2nd AC coach, one 2nd AC coach, four 3rd AC coaches, one pantry car coach, and nine sleeper coaches.

The full coach composition of the Kerala Sampark Kranti Express is Engine–EOG–GN–GN–S1–S2–S3–S4–S5–S6–S7–S8–S9–PC–B1–B2–B3–B4–A1–HA1–GN–GN–EOG.

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