Indian Railways boarding point rule 2026: The Railway Board is considering a proposal to extend the facility allowing passengers, who have booked tickets with reserved accommodation from a specific station, to change their boarding point and board the train from another en route station. Currently, this facility is available up to preparation of first reservation charts.

In a letter dated February 19, 2026, the Railway Board informed the CRIS (Centre for Railway Information Systems) that since the first reservation chart is now prepared 10 to 20 hours before a train’s scheduled departure, it has proposed allowing passengers to change their boarding point up to the preparation of the second reservation chart to make the facility more convenient.

“Keeping in view the change in timings of preparation of first reservation charts 10–20 hours before scheduled departure of train and with a view to make the change of boarding point more convenient to the passengers, it is proposed that the change of boarding point may be allowed up to the preparation of second reservation chart.

CRIS is requested to examine the feasibility of the proposal and furnish their comments to this office at earliest to enable final decision being taken in the matter,” the Railway Board said.

According to the latest guidelines issued by Indian Railways on chart preparation timing, passengers should note that for trains departing between 05:01 hrs and 14:00 hrs, the first reservation chart will be prepared preferably by 20:00 hrs on the previous day.

Meanwhile, for trains with departure times between 14:01 hrs and 23:59 hrs, as well as those departing between 00:00 hrs and 05:00 hrs, the first reservation chart will be prepared preferably at least 10 hours in advance.