Southern Railway’s recently introduced facility allowing passengers to change their boarding station on a reserved ticket has drawn a positive response, but travellers are now seeking greater flexibility within the same PNR.
Earlier, when reservation charts were prepared about four hours before departure, passengers faced difficulties if seats were not confirmed, often struggling to cancel plans or make alternate arrangements at the last minute. Under revised rules, the first chart is now prepared 10 hours in advance, helping travellers plan alternatives in time.
Building on this, Southern Railway introduced the boarding point change option on April 2, allowing changes until the second chart is prepared—up to 30 minutes before the train departs.
However, a letter sent to the Railways by Bhaskar, an office-bearer of the Tiruvallur Rail Passengers Association, said the current system permits a boarding point change only if all passengers under the same PNR opt for it together. The association has requested that the Railways allow partial changes, enabling one or two passengers within a PNR to modify their boarding station.
Southern Railway officials said the request would be examined and, if found feasible, recommended to the Railway Board.
