E-Paper
Indian Railways traveller asks why short-distance passengers avoid tickets and pack into reserved coaches
A post by an Indian railway traveller on Reddit went viral after questioning why many short-distance riders skipped tickets.
An Indian Railways traveller has ignited a spirited discussion on Reddit after asking why many passengers avoid buying tickets for short distances and instead squeeze into general coaches or occupy reserved seats. His query, posted under the title “Why don't people buy tickets for low distance or just travel in general?”, has quickly gathered traction.
Traveller shares frustration over seat requests
The user explained that he frequently encounters passengers who ask him to shift for just one stop, often with what he described as an entitled attitude. Sharing his irritation, he wrote, “I am not saying that I would not have for an old guy but the audacity to just ask to shift a little does not sit right with me at least. If you wanted to travel for a short distance which you have said, there is a general coach for that. How does people get this much audacity to ask for this and then even make the face like you denied them blood transfusion at their ending stage.”
He also questioned why, in his experience, the issue appears more common in Bihar. “And why is this prevalent in Bihar only. All the staff checks stop after the train starts its inside Bihar, why is that,” he asked, pointing to what he felt was a lack of enforcement once the train crossed into the state.
Check out the post here:
Internet reacts
The post prompted a wave of responses from commuters across the country, each offering their own perspective on the complexities of Indian Railways travel. One user responded, “It is because ye India hai yaha sab chalta hai. This mentality is causing this damage.”
Another pointed to structural issues within the system, saying, “Gap between rich and poor is great plus less number of general coaches being manufactured now,” while a third user narrated a personal ordeal. “Bro people have literally sat over me while I was once asleep in 3rd AC side lower stating that there is no space to stand in the corridor and alley,” the comment read.
Some respondents highlighted the challenge of ticket availability, particularly for very short rides. One said, “For very short journeys sometimes reserved tickets are not available, but they should not travel in any reserved coach.”
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
