I have a sleeper class ticket which is in waiting list. The current status is GNWL161/WL93. Only 2 days are left for the journey and I don't think it will get confirmed. I need to travel at any cost as there's no feasible alternative. Will I be allowed to board the train? Can I travel with waiting list ticket on trains in India? What does the rule book say? Does a TTE allow passengers to travel in reserved compartments with a waiting list reservation?
This is difficult to answer, because some people are more strict than others, and it is always possible to slip through. But it might be worth it to show, and see if someone cancels at the last moment, or does not show. There is always a bit of room. It might be worth a shot. Is this the only class, or are there others with tickets available? Also, check to see if a bus is available, as well.
I don't think your ticket will be confirmed... GNWL161 means the original waiting list was 161 but some people have cancelled ticket and the waiting list at the moment is 93(i.e WL93)... In case you have an E-ticket then you cannot board the train as they get cancelled automatically, but if you have tickets purchased from station then you can board the train.
Technically you can't, but practically it is possible to travel with a waiting list ticket if you have booked it from a railway counter. There can be three situations with respect to travelling with a waiting list ticket in Indian trains - 1. You have purchased an online e-ticket. In this case, you won't be allowed to board the train - neither in the reserved compartments, nor in the unreserved (general) compartments. Wait listed e-tickets automatically get cancelled at the time of chart preparation and the deducted money is refunded back to your bank account electronically. So travelling with a waiting list e-ticket (e ticket and i ticket are entirely different from each other)is the same as travelling without a ticket. You will be fined by the TTE for travelling without a valid ticket. So never even try to board a train with waiting list e-tickets. If you need to travel at any cost, then purchase an unreserved ticket from the railway station and board the general compartment. 2. If you have purchased the ticket from a railway counter and it is in waiting list, then it doesn't get cancelled automatically. Which means you have a valid ticket, although in the waiting list. In such cases, you are not allowed to get into the reserved compartments, but you can still travel in a general compartments. Practically though I have seen people travelling in the slepper class with waiting list tickets. TTEs may allow any wait listed passenger to board the reserved compartment purely on humanitarian grounds. Usually they allow wait listed passengers in sleeper class, but not in AC compartments. However please note that this is not the rule, but rather an exception. 3. If you are travelling in a group and atleast one seat is confirmed (partially waitlisted ticket), then you are entitled to travel in the reserved compartments. The waiting list passengers may need to 'adjust' and it may not be a comfortable journey, but atleast you will be allowed to board the train on a reserved compartment. Regards, Deb
If there's an opening at the last minute, maybe. But the problem with getting a waiting list ticket is that you pretty much agree that you may or may not be able to get it in time. If the driver or conductor might be nice enough, you might be able to talk your way into a seat if there's an available one, but I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you. Most trains are usually packed, to the point of overflowing.
