Indian Railways Coaching Stock - Classification of Berths

Classification of Berths

Berths are classified as follows:

• LB = Lower Berth
• MB = Middle Berth
• UB = Upper Berth
• SU = Side Upper
• SL = Side Lower Berth
• SMB = Side Middle Berth(Not any more)

This is for the Broad Gauge (BG) trains, Metre Gauge (MG) would not have the side berths (SLB & SUB).

Indian Rail is mostly BG and MG is almost phased out, with the few remaining ones undergoing BG conversion. A remaining exception will be narrow gauge railways. Two of these, that are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, ae the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and the Nilgiri Mountain Railway.

On BG trains, there would normally be 64 seats/berths for 3 tier AC coaches (3A) and 72 seats/berths for 3 tier Sleeper coaches (SL) with the coaches having four entrances two each on either sides of the coach at their ends. These coaches would display the seat / berth numbers painted just above each of their windows that would be in alignment to that particular window. Higher classes would have reduction in their seating / berth capacity, based on their class respectively. LHB rake trains will be having 72 seats/berths for 3 tier AC coaches (3A).

Side Middle berths are found in Garib Raths.

The "second sitting" would have 108 seats but with two additional entrances right in the middle of the coaches on their either sides. Therefore these coaches have six entrances.