How To Check If Your RAC Seat Is Close To Family Members
Indian Railways is loved by everyone in the country for its dependability as well as affordability. Travelling on trains is an experience best enjoyed with a group. Be it your friends or family. However, a common problem that follows us when travelling with family is during ticket booking. There might be the case that few of the members have received a RAC seat. Passengers worry whether their RAC seat would be located close to their family or not?
Fortunately, RailMitra has introduced special services for the passengers helping them find out whether their RAC seat allocation is near to their family or not? In this blog we would take a detailed look into the question and also look at the measures and steps to take if your RAC seat is far away from your family.
What Is an RAC Ticket?
RAC stands for Reservation Against Cancellation. It is one of the booking status or PNR Status provided to passengers at the time of the booking. RAC seat or status means that your booking is partially confirmed. You would get a seat but you have to share your berth with another passenger.
Indian Railways introduced this system to efficiently utilise the number of available seats so that the maximum number of passengers get benefitted. However, this RAC status is not permanent. If enough Confirmed train tickets are cancelled, then your RAC seat might be upgraded to a Confirmed seat or status. Thus it is important to check your booking status if you got the RAC seat.
How To Check If Your RAC Seat Is Close to Family Members
There are a few practical ways to find out where your RAC seats are located and whether they are close to your family’s confirmed or RAC seats:
1. Check via RailMitra App or Website
RailMitra allows passengers to easily check their PNR status, seat number, and coach position. You can check these services using RailMitra website, i.e., RailMitra.com or install the App which is available at Google Play Store as well as Apple App Store. Just follow these simple and easy steps:
- Visit RailMitra.com or open the RailMitra app.
- Select PNR Status option
- Enter 10- digit PNR Number.
- Click on the Check PNR Status button.
- The system will show your current booking status — whether RAC or confirmed — along with the coach and seat number.
- If you have booked your family tickets under one PNR Number, then by checking the PNR Status you can find the seat number of all the passengers including the one who got a RAC seat. If the tickets are booked under different PNR Numbers, you need to check each PNR Number’ status individually to get the idea of Seat numbers.
This method is quick, reliable, and gives real-time updates — especially useful when seat allocations change after chart preparation.
2. Verify After Chart Preparation
Final seat positions, including RAC upgrades, are confirmed after train chart preparation, which happens around 8 hours before train departure. That’s the best time to recheck whether your RAC seats have been upgraded or if they remain shared. Using the RailMitra PNR tool at this stage helps you know your final seating arrangement.
Earlier, the train chart was prepared 3-4 hours before the departure, but the Railways changed this rule and now the train chart is prepared 8 hours before the time of departure. RailMitra’s PNR Status check also helps you find if the train chart has been prepared or not.
What To Do If Seats Are Far Apart
If you find that your RAC seat is far from your family’s, don’t panic. Once onboard, you can:
- Politely ask fellow passengers for a seat exchange. Most of the time passengers are understanding and will gladly switch the seats if you tell them that your family is sitting apart from you.
- Request the TTE’s help to rearrange seating for families.In most cases, railway staff cooperate to make the journey more comfortable for families travelling together. They will either help you provide any vacant seats nearby or help you coordinate with other passengers to switch their seats.
Why Use RailMitra for RAC Checks and Other Services
RailMitra helps you track your PNR or RAC seat details like a champ. This service also helps you track if the train chart has been prepared or not.
However, this is not the limitation of RailMitra. It has much more to offer to the passengers. At RailMitra passengers can also check the live train running status, check train seat availability or even order hot delicious group food on train. These services make sure that RailMitra is always a constant application on your phone for all the train related information.
Why It Matters to Be Seated Near Family
Train journeys in India are not just a method of transportation, it is an experience enhanced by your co-passengers. When we are travelling with family we get to spend quality time and deepen our bonds. We can order and share food together on the trains, share stories as well take care of the children and the elders.
However with the RAC seat, things are not certain. Even if booked under the same PNR number, RAC seat allocation might be away from the rest of the family. They can also be seated in different coaches.
Passengers can contact fellow passengers or the TTE and explain their situation. Most of the time, you would get to sit near your family. It can also be possible that your seat might get confirmed. In that case, swapping seats would be much easier. However, it is always advisable to inform the railway authorities before you switch seats.
Conclusion
RAC tickets can sometimes cause confusion, especially for families eager to sit together. But with a few simple checks using the RailMitra app, you can easily find out if your RAC seat is near your family members — and even make quick adjustments if needed. So before your next trip, check your RAC seat allocation early, verify your PNR status, and ensure your loved ones are just a seat away.