Pakistan Railways Ticket Rules: Book 90 Days Ahead, Break Your Journey After 240 km

Pakistan Railways lets you reserve a seat or berth up to 90 days before travel, break a long journey at a station more than 240 km from the start, and upgrade to a higher class on board if a seat is free. Tickets cannot be transferred to another person, and booking through a travel agent is not allowed. These rules come from Pakistan Railways' own passenger questions page, which we read on 9 October 2026.

Most passengers learn these rules the hard way: at the window, or from a ticket checker halfway to Karachi. Knowing them before you book can save money and a fine.

The rules below apply to tickets sold by Pakistan Railways itself. A few trains are run by private operators under contract, so confirm with the operator if your train is one of them.

You can reserve up to 90 days before you travel

Seats and berths can be reserved up to 90 days ahead. You can book at railway reservation offices, at PRACS reservation offices, or online through Pakistan Railways e-ticketing. Travel agents are not allowed to sell railway tickets.

The 90-day window matters most before Eid and the summer holidays, when AC sleeper berths on Karachi trains go first. If you are travelling then, book on the first day the window opens. The online steps to book train tickets online are the same for any date inside the window.

Before you leave the counter, check that four things are printed on the ticket: the train number, the date of travel, your seat or berth number, and your name. A wrong date or name is far easier to fix at the window than on the platform.

Your ticket cannot be given to someone else

A reserved ticket is in one person's name and cannot be transferred. If someone travels on a seat reserved for another person, Pakistan Railways treats them as travelling without a proper ticket under Section 113 of the Railways Act.

This catches families who swap a ticket at the last minute when plans change. The safer choice is to cancel the ticket and buy a new one in the right name. The refund deduction depends on how close to departure you cancel, and the Pakistan Railways refund rules set out each stage.

Buying on board is also costly. An excess fare ticket issued by the ticket checking staff costs more than the same ticket from the booking window, so buy before you board whenever you can.

Breaking a long journey is allowed after 240 km

A single journey ticket for more than 240 km lets you stop at stations on the way, but only if each stop is more than 240 km apart. You get one day for every 240 km, plus the travel time. The rule does not apply to a seat reserved from start to end on one train.

In practice, it works like this:

1. Your single journey ticket must be for more than 240 km of actual distance.
2. Your first stop must come after you have travelled more than 240 km from the starting station.
3. Each later stop must also be more than 240 km from the last.
4. You get one day for each 240 km, or part of 240 km, on top of the time the train takes.
5. If your berth or seat is reserved from your starting station to your destination on a specific train, you cannot break the journey.

So the rule mostly helps unreserved and open-ticket travellers on long routes, such as Karachi to Peshawar. A passenger with an AC sleeper berth booked end to end cannot use it.

You can upgrade or go further once on board

If the train has a free seat in a higher class, you can upgrade on the way by paying the extra fare. You can also extend your journey past your original destination, again only if a seat is free. Ask the Conductor Guard, the official in charge of the train.

The Conductor Guard is also the person to see if you could not get a reserved ticket. Pakistan Railways says you can board a reserved coach by contacting the Conductor Guard, subject to space. Never pay anyone else on the train for a "confirmed" seat.

If you need to check how much the upgrade will cost, look up the class fares before you travel. The current fares on popular routes show the gap between economy, AC standard and AC sleeper.

Late trains, wheelchairs and complaints have set rules too

If a train runs more than 6 hours late, you can claim a refund for the part of the trip not travelled. You can ask for a wheelchair at main stations through the Station Master's office or the Railway Police helpline, 1333.

When a train is stopped on the way by an accident or a railway fault, Pakistan Railways says it provides transport to the nearest station, food, another train and transport for luggage. The Conductor Guard also carries a first aid box, and serious cases can be sent to railway hospitals at big stations.

• Waiting rooms: free, but the room you can use depends on your ticket class.
• Retiring rooms: paid rooms at big stations, booked through the Station Master, subject to availability.
• Complaints: every Station Master and guard holds a printed complaint book. Write your complaint in it, then take it to the Divisional Commercial Officer if nothing happens.
• Luggage: free limits differ by class. The Pakistan Railways luggage allowance is 50 kg in AC sleeper and 20 kg in other classes.

One warning. The same Pakistan Railways page has a table of fare concessions for students, blind passengers and senior citizens, but its two columns do not line up: it lists ten groups and only nine percentages. We have not used it. Ask at the reservation office for the concession you think you qualify for, and what proof it needs.

Common questions

How many days in advance can I book a Pakistan Railways ticket?

Up to 90 days before the date of travel, at a reservation office or online.

Can I give my train ticket to a family member?

No. Reserved tickets are not transferable. Cancel it and book a new ticket in the traveller's name.

Can I buy a train ticket from a travel agent?

No. Pakistan Railways says booking through travel agents is not allowed. Use a reservation office or the official online booking.

Can I upgrade my class during the journey?

Yes, if a seat is free in the higher class. Pay the extra fare to the Conductor Guard.

What happens if my train is more than 6 hours late?

You can get a refund for the part of the journey you did not travel.

How do I get a wheelchair at a railway station?

Contact the Station Master's office or call the Railway Police helpline, 1333. Wheelchairs are available at all main stations.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 9 October 2026. All rules on this page come from the Pakistan Railways frequently asked questions page. The page is not dated, and some prices on it, such as porter and meal charges, are clearly old, so we have not used any rupee figure from it. Its concession table does not line up and is not used. If a rule at the counter differs from this page, the counter's written notice applies.