Auto upgrade at Indian railways?
 

OK, this is slightly OT being about train travel, but these are my connecting trips from/to international flights, so I hope they qualify.

Trying to book Shatabdi tickets at IR website, one option is to check the box to to "Consider for Auto Upgrade". If you know the system, are they talking about:

1. A good upgrade (ie, we might be put in a higher class for no extra charge),

or

2. The other kind (ie, instead of the tickets we request, they'll sell us the most expensive ones instead and bill our card for the difference)?

Thanks.

AFAIK, when the last central govt took over, they improved the system of reservations to allow operational upgrades. I have not been able to find out much about how it worked other than that like airlines, if they oversold 1 class, they might bump you up a notch to the next level.

Some people may not want to change the type of service.
If you are used to a 3 tier system with plenty of people in the carriage then the concept being 1 of 4 people in a locked room is worrisome to some.
I think this is an effort to only upgrade those who wish to be upgraded.
YMMV.

Thanks. With two of us traveling, my only worry would be that one might get upgraded and the other one not. So I'll choose this option only if there is a way to specify that we want to travel together, in whichever class.

That is one more reason why this facility of selecting "consider for auto upgrade" was launched. This applies mainly to solo travelers, and depending on the route and classes booked, may apply for 2 or more ppl on a single ticket too. However, you're quite safe to select the option as long as all pax are on the same ticket and not on different ones - upgrade (if it does happen) is based on avble seats and number of pax on a ticket.

More than slightly OT. Try indiamike.com for a wealth of knowledgeable advice on train travel---although in this case you have already received accurate advice.

As this thread is not about travel related to an airline of India, I am moving this thread to the India forum.

Many people, here and elsewhere, assured me that all persons in a PNR will either be upgraded together or not at all. So I did choose the upgrade option and bought my tickets. I was worried about my US issued MC but the charge went through smoothly.

But there was a glitch: My wife and I were assigned seat numbers 5, 6. Despite the numbers being close, the seats are not. AFAIK there is no way to choose seats myself (eg, online), so now I am trying to deal with that.

Like I said in another thread, you just ask the pax sitting near you to "please adjust". Most others on the train with you have been in such fun situations before (and in some cases, with them in one coach and their wife two or three coaches away). If that doesn't work for you (I'd be surprised if it doesnt work), you can ask the TTE (the train conductor) to reseat you together someplace

Thanks; I am sure it will work. :) This situation must be common enough for your suggestion to be a part of the "official" response from the IR Customer Care:

Has anyone ever gotten the op-up on Indian Railways? :p

There's a indian railways + SBI credit card that's advertised on irctc.co.in - earns you points for every journey on indian railways and I guess that gives you the status you need for upgrades.

Yeah, that's the combined Shubh Yatra plan with the SBI card...

I signed one of our guys up for this SY plan (prefers going by train rather than by plane - train stations are right in the cities versus in the outskirts of cities) - he didn't earn much in 3AC (you earn zero points) which would clear Tatkal WL's faster than 2AC..

During my vacation in India (2008) i booked a ticket to Hyderabad in 3 Tier AC. When i reached the station to board the train and checked my status i was auto-upgraded to 2nd AC. To non-Indian travellers:- 3AC is an air conditioned coach with 9-10 compartments. Each compartment has 6 berths (3 on each side) and 2 side berths(along the length of the coach); total 8 berths. Some might feel cramped. 2ndAC coaches have 4 berths (2 on each side) and 2 side berths; total 6. So upgrade from 3AC to 2AC was good. Out of curioucity i asked the TTE about the auto-upgrade system. He explained me that to maximize passenger capacity Indian Railways has introduced this system. This is how it happens: Usually there are some quotas in the railway booking. E.g. Foreign tourist quota, military quota, ladies quota etc etc. When these quotas are not booked then the system automatically upgrades a passenger to that particular category. Say you have booked a ticket in 3AC. If you get an auto-upgrade you will go to 2AC. The passenger in sleeper class is upgraded to 3AC and those who are in RAC/WC get a confirmed ticket. And so forth.

I would recommend booking the highest class of travel from the outset to secure the seat... 1AC if possible (if that is in fact available on the train). For the few dollars extra you get a world of difference.

IF seats is available. There are far fewer 1AC coaches than 2AC / 3AC / 2nd Sleeper, and if you absolutely need to take that train, you get seats wherever they are available. Or wait for 8 AM india time exactly 2 days before your journey and grab (nonrefundable) tix from the "tatkal" (instant / last minute) quota as soon as it becomes available.