Indian Railways: Check IRCTC rules on booking train tickets for kids below 5 years

Indian Railways ticket booking: IRCTC charges the ticket booking amount for travellers with kids below 5 years only when taking a full berth under the kid's name.

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Update: This story has been modified after clarification from the Ministry of Railways and PIB

When travelling with kids on trains with Indian Railways, passengers have various concerns about ticket bookings. Indian Railways doesn't charge amount for kids below 5 years of age if tickets are not booked. As per circular number 12 of 2020 issued on 06.03.2020 by the Indian Railways, kids below 5 years of age doesn't need a reservation for travelling and can travel on a train without a ticket for free of cost. However, if a berth is required, full adult fare has to be paid by booking a ticket. One has to select the option of infant seats in the trains, to avail free ticket facility for the kids.

However, if one selects the berth option for the kids between 1-5 years of age, full amount has to be paid. Indian Railways recently added Infant berth option in AC third bogie of Lucknow Mail, that received a lot of appreciation from Netizens. The railways has now implemented the system of giving seats to children below five years of age, while booking tickets on IRCTC and Railway Rersevation booths at the stations. 

Indian Railways ticket booking rules for kids 

As the rule applies, if you are taking a full berth for the kid between 5-11 years of age, only than full fare has be paid to the Railways. If you don't take a full berth, you have to pay only half the ticket price. However, when it comes to children below 5 years, the Passenger Reservation System has not put any option of not taking a child berth after filling the names of children between the age of one to four years.

Age 0-4 years: Free of cost for kids if you select Infant with no berth depending on the train. Else pay the full charge if berth is taken
Age 5-11 years: Full charge if you select the whole berth, half price if you select a child seat without berth
Age 12 years onwards: Full charge for everyone

Passengers who are looking to book a ticket, have to book a train berth with infant seat to avail full discount on the train ticket. While Indian Railways and IRCTC have not made any formal announcement on the matter, the new ticket rules have been applied on the IRCTC's website already.