How to Identify General Coaches on IRCTC Website

Identifying the general coaches on the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) website can be a bit tricky. Coaches are typically identified with specific acronyms such as UR, GS, and GN. UR stands for Unreserved, and these are the first and last coaches in a train rake. GS and GN are also unreserved coaches, often found at the end of the train. In the past, these divisions might have been labelled differently, but with the implementation of online bookings, they have also adopted new labels such as D1, D2, etc.

How to Identify General Coaches on the Website

Here are the steps to identify the general coaches on the IRCTC website:

Open Google Chrome and enter the train number in the appropriate search box. Once the train details page opens, look for the rake coach position of the train. On this page, you will see coaches identified with numbers and acronyms such as GS, UR, and GN. GS and UR coaches are usually at positions 3, 23, and 24. Note that coaches labelled with UR, GS, and GN are unreserved, meaning no booking is required. However, since June 2020, these coaches may be labelled with D1, D2, etc., which require online booking. Additionally, you can identify the type of rake (ICF or LHB) based on the colour. ICF rakes are of blue colour, while LHB rakes are of red colour.

Understanding General Coach Types

General Coaches are unreserved coaches that are typically positioned at the start and end points in a train rake. Non-corona days (before March 2020) saw these coaches labelled as GEN/UR/GN. During those times, passengers could travel in these coaches without any booking. After June 2020, the labelling changed to D1, D2, etc., indicating that these coaches now require online booking.

Seat Layout of General Coaches

ICF Coach: There are a total of 96 seats in a general coach. 6 gates are present in a general coach. 48 seats between Gate 1, 2, 3, and 4. The remaining 48 seats are between Gate 3, 4, 5, and 6.

LHB Coach: There are a total of 108 seats in a general coach. 6 gates are present in a general coach. 48 seats between Gate 1, 2, 3, and 4. The remaining 60 seats are between Gate 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Real World Application

For instance, the Sapt Kranti Express features the same layout, running between Muzaffarpur Junction and Anand Vihar Terminal, with both ICF and LHB rakes.

Note: The content represented here is hypothetical and for illustrative purposes only. Always refer to the official IRCTC website for the most up-to-date information regarding train operations and seat availability.

Conclusion

By following these steps and understanding the different labelling systems, you can easily identify and book your preferred coach on the IRCTC website. Stay informed and plan your journey accordingly.

Thank you for reading!