Indian railways have urged passengers to update themselves with the train boarding rules in covid-19 2021 issued by different states. As every state has its own set of guidelines, make sure to read these instructions before planning to travel by train.

Earlier, the Government of India has asked people to avoid any journey, but if you need to travel urgently, read the IRCTC COVID guidelines to avoid confusion and travel hardships.

• Wearing a mask is compulsory. Any passenger found not wearing a mask will be fined Rs. 500
• Passengers are required to carry a hand sanitizer.
• Cooked food service shall not be available. However, passengers can get ready to eat foods.
• Protective items such as masks, gloves, and bedroll kits will be available on multi-purpose stalls, and passengers can buy them.
• Anyone found spitting on the railway premises shall be fined Rs. 500 

In addition to these common directives, there are state-specific COVID guidelines that train passengers should know if they need to travel during the COVID-19 period in 2021.

Recently, many Indian states have changed their travel guidelines. If you are planning a train journey soon, make sure to keep updated with the latest testing and vaccination requirements for a hassle-free journey. Karnataka, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, and Assam have updated their travel guidelines.

Indian Railways Request Passengers to Stay Updated with Latest Guidelines Issued by the Different States

In the wake of #COVID19,
passengers are requested to read the health advisory guidelines issued by different states before the commencement of their journey to these states. #IndiaFightsCoronapic.twitter.com/CIZxz8g0tm

— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) March 15, 2021

Latest Maharashtra Guidelines for Train Travel in 2021

• All the State and Central Government employees will be issued train passes.
• All medical personnel, including nurses and lab technicians, will be given train passes.
• Thermal screening in local trains and all railway stations are a must.
• Passengers travelling from the outstation train cannot travel in local trains.
• Train tickets will be only issued at railway’s ticket counters. All booking centres like UTS, Jan Sadharan Ticket Booking Seva, and Automatic Ticket Vending machines shall remain suspended.
• If a passenger from a long-distance train alights at any station, he/she will be stamped on the hand with a 14 days home quarantine.

Latest Maharashtra Guidelines for Train Travel  – Download 

Latest Delhi Guidelines for Train Travel in 2021

People travelling from Maharashtra to Delhi need to carry a COVID-19 negative report.

All train passengers travelling Delhi from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will be sent to a mandatory 14-day quarantine.

Any person who produces a certificate of successful vaccination (two doses) or having a negative RT-PCR report of not older than 72 hours prior to the commencement of train journey will be allowed home quarantine for 7 days.

Latest Delhi Guidelines for Train Travel – Download

Latest Karnataka Guidelines for Train Travel in 2021

People travelling from Punjab, Chandigarh, Kerala and Maharasthra need an RT-PCR report done within 72 hours of the travel.

Latest Karnataka Guidelines for Train Travel – Download

Karnataka Updated Guidelines:

All students and employees visiting Karnataka from Kerala are required to show a negative RT-PCR report on arrival. The RT-PCR report must not be older than 72 hours, and it will be valid for one week only. This rule is valid for both who are partially or fully vaccinated. In addition, they need to stay in quarantine for seven days, following which an RT-PCR will be done. Passengers must test negative for this test.

However, the following types of passengers from Kerala have been granted few exemptions:

• Students arriving in Karnataka for exams with one parent for 3 days
• Short term travelers who arrive here for not more than 3 days
• Passengers in transit from/to Kerala
• Children those ages below 2 years
• Healthcare professionals and their spouses
• Constitutional officials
• Traveling for emergencies (medical treatment or death in the family)

Latest Kerala Guidelines for Train Travel in 2021

All train passengers are required to carry an RT-PCR report. They can opt for tests at Railway stations. Also, 14 days of home quarantine is compulsory for them.

Latest Kerala Guidelines for Train Travel – Download

Kerala Updated Guidelines:

Fully vaccinated passengers must carry their final vaccination certificate. All other passengers must carry a negative RT-PCR report which is not older than 72 hours.

Latest Uttar Pradesh Guidelines for Train Travel in 2021

Train Passengers from Maharashtra and Kerala need to carry a negative RT-PCR report. The RT-PCR report must be done within 72 hours of travelling. Also, 14 days of home quarantine is compulsory for all the passengers.

Latest Uttar Pradesh Guidelines for Train Travel – Download

Latest Chhattisgarh Guidelines for Train Travel in 2021

Passengers need a negative RT-PCR test. However, travellers can opt for test on arrival. Also, passengers shall have to bear all the expenses. If a passenger doesn’t take the COVID-19 test, he/she will be quarantined for the next 7 days.

Latest Chhattisgarh Guidelines for Train Travel – Download

Fully vaccinated passengers need to carry a valid vaccination certificate on arrival to Chhattisgarh. All the other passengers must carry a negative RT-PCR test report that must not be done later than 96 hours from the scheduled arrival to the state.

Updated Guidelines:

Fully vaccinated passengers need to carry a valid vaccination certificate on arrival to Chhattisgarh. All the other passengers must carry a negative RT-PCR test report that must not be done later than 96 hours from the scheduled arrival to the state.

Latest Himachal Pradesh Guidelines for Train Travel in 2021

All the passengers from Delhi, Punjab, Maharasthra, Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh need to carry RT-PCR negative report. The report must be done within 72 hours of travelling.

Latest Himachal Pradesh Guidelines for Train Travel  – Download

Latest Jammu & Kashmir Guidelines for Train Travel in 2021

All passengers are required to carry a negative RT-PCR test report done within 70 hours of travelling.

Latest Jammu & Kashmir Guidelines for Train Travel  – Download

Latest Goa Guidelines for Train Travel in 2021

Railway passengers travelling to Goa are required to carry RT-PCR negative report. The laboratory test must be done within 72 hours of the journey commencement. However, passengers who fall in the below category are exempted.

• People with full dose vaccination certificates
• Permanent residents of Goa up on the production of their proof of residence.
• Passengers entering Goa for work purpose upon production of their Id proof or letter from the employer.
• Persons entering Goa for medical emergency upon production of valid medical reports.

Latest Goa Guidelines for Train Travel – Download

Assam Updated Guidelines:

Unvaccinated, vaccinated, and symptomatic travelers visiting Assam will have to undergo mandatory RT-PCR testing on arrival. The cost of this test is Rs. 250, and it has to be borne by the passengers. However, fully vaccinated, asymptomatic travelers have to carry a vaccination certificate on arrival to the state.

Various other states of India like Bihar, Gujarat, Orrisa, Assam and Jharkhand have already made it mandator to carry a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report in their travel guidelines. Recently, the West Bengal state government has announced to join the league of states who have made the RT-PCR report mandatory for train travels. All passengers coming to Bihar, West Bengal, and Chhattisgarh will have to undergo a mandatory COVID test.

Also, passengers should know that some states have permitted exemption for negative RT-PCR certificate to constitutional functionaries and health care professionals. According to Karnataka travel guidelines, children below two years and passengers in dire emergencies like undergoing medical treatment and death in the family have been exempted. Train passengers can visit the IRCTC website for state-wise on arrival guidelines in detail.

Many states have imposed partial to complete lockdown during the second wave of the pandemic. Meanwhile, the Railway Ministry has cancelled several special trains operating between important stations keeping in view the sudden surge of COVID-19 cases. According to the railways’ administration, these measures should be seen as steps to curb Coronavirus transmission. As the situation will normalize, the national transporter will resume its standard operating procedure like before.  

News Update: There is good news if you are planning to travel by train in the near future. Indian Railways might allow passengers to travel without a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report. Instead of a COVID negative report, you might have to carry a COVID-19 vaccination report while travelling by train. Passengers can show this report through the “Aarogya Setu App”. The move will also encourage people to get vaccinated for Coronavirus.

Keeping track of the updated COVID guidelines would help passengers travel in a hassle-free manner. Stay tuned with RailMitra for all the IRCTC COVID guidelines, train boarding rules in 2021 and the latest Indian Railways news.