What is rac in train?

[Ratna]

I have seen the term rac being mentioned in many of the posts on the forum. I would like to know what is rac in train tickets.

I would like to find out what the full form is, and how it affects the ticket.

If I get a rac ticket, is there anything that should be done?

 

[briannagodess]

Hello, @Ratna! Welcome to the forum!

I have seen the term rac being mentioned in many of the posts on the forum. I would like to know what is rac in train tickets.

RAC means Reservation Against Cancellation. To put it in simple terms, with a RAC ticket, you're guaranteed a seat, but not a berth. This type of ticket gives some chance to waitlisted passengers to at least get a seat, even if the berth is not guaranteed.

Just like Waiting List (WL) tickets, Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC) tickets are also quotas. Each class in a train has a set of quota seats and once all these seats are filled, the next passengers will get RAC tickets. Once the RAC tickets quotas are fulfilled, then the next passengers will get WL tickets.

I would like to find out what the full form is, and how it affects the ticket.

Here is how the Confirmed ticket, the RAC ticket and the WL ticket process happens. So for example, you started with this:

• WL 10

Let's say you started with a WL 10 ticket. This means you're the number 10 in the wait listed passengers. Over some period of time, you'll notice your status will change into this:

• WL 10/WL 4

This means that from the 10th position, you have moved up to the 4th position in the waiting list. But still, you are not allowed to board the train with this ticket. It then changes into this:

• WL 10/RAC 2

This means your ticket was upgraded to RAC 2. It means a couple more people have cancelled their reservation so you moved up again. With this type of ticket, you can board the train. However, you only have a guaranteed seat, not a berth.

• WL 10/CNF

With this, you are now guaranteed a berth and a seat in the train.

As you can see, RAC is a form of a waiting list as well. In a way, it's the buffer between the WL and the CNF. In case your ticket remains an RAC until your journey, you're given a half-berth or seat in which you share with another RAC ticket holder.

If any of the berths become available during the journey, then the conductor would give it to you. This still depends on the RAC number in your ticket.

If I get a rac ticket, is there anything that should be done?

Well, you can only wait until the status of your ticket changes. Your best option would be checking the status of your ticket once in a while so you'd know what will happen to your ticket.

I hope this helps.

 

[melanie]

Does this cost any less than a ticket for a berth? Also, why is it called "reservation against cancellation"?
When a berth opens up and thus you're moved from a seat, does the newly opened seat go to someone on the WL? (I don't see how given that the train has departed.)

I don't understand why they don't just sell berth tickets and then seat tickets. Or do they somehow make more money with the rac concept?