Did you know that you can travel in a First AC coach even after booking a Third AC ticket? You might be wondering how that’s possible. Well, it’s true, and Indian Railways has an official rule for it.
After booking a Third AC ticket, your seat can be upgraded to First AC. This facility is called the Automatic Upgradation Scheme, which is provided by Indian Railways. However, it is only applicable in special cases.
For example, suppose you booked a ticket in Third AC but your ticket was in RAC. Now, if at the time of chart preparation, seats in First AC are vacant and there’s no availability in Third AC, then under the Automatic Upgradation Scheme, your ticket can be upgraded to First AC.
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This means you get to travel in First AC while paying only the fare for Third AC.
The best part is—Railways doesn’t charge anything extra for this facility. But, this benefit is available only if you selected the “Consider for Auto Upgradation” option while booking your ticket.
Also note, only confirmed or RAC tickets are eligible for automatic upgradation. Tickets on the waiting list are not considered. Once your ticket is upgraded, you’ll receive a confirmation message from Indian Railways.