Sleeper Class Passengers to Get Bedroll Service From Jan 2026: Southern Railway Announces New Service

The Southern Railway's Chennai Division has announced the launch of sanitised bedroll services for Sleeper Class passengers, which is a first-of-its-kind initiative in Indian Railways.

From January 1st, 2026, passengers travelling in Non-AC Sleeper Class can request clean, ready-to-use bedrolls on an on-demand, on-payment basis.

According to the press release by the Southern Railways, this new service is being rolled out after a successful pilot project under the New Innovative Non-Fare Revenue Ideas Scheme (NINFRIS) 2023-24, which received overwhelming appreciation from passengers. Based on the good response, Indian Railways has now approved the scheme as a regular non-fare revenue initiative.

All About the New Bedroll Service Matters

Until now, Sleeper Class passengers did not have access to bedrolls during train journeys, a facility that was usually limited to AC coaches. The introduction of this new service will enhance comfort and hygiene for Sleeper Class passengers and improve the overall travel experience for long-distance journeys. The initiative will also generate additional non-fare revenue for Indian Railways. The Chennai Division expects to generate an annual licence fee of Rs 28,27,653 from this initiative.

Affordable Bedroll Packages

Southern Railway has announced three budget-friendly bedroll packages, which are as follows:

• The first package, priced at Rs. 50, includes one bedsheet, one pillow, and one pillow cover.
• The second package, costing Rs. 30, offers one pillow along with a pillow cover.
• The third package is the most economical, priced at Rs. 20, and includes only one bedsheet.

Service to Be Launched on 10 Major Trains

As per the official announcement, the bedroll service will initially be implemented across ten major trains under Chennai Division for a period of three years. Some of the key trains include:

Nilgiri Superfast Express (12671/12672)

Mangalore Superfast Express (12685/12686)

Mannargudi Express (16179/16180)

Tiruchendur Superfast Express (20605/20606)

Palghat Express (22651/22652)

Silambu Superfast Express (20681/20682)

Tambaram-Nagercoil Superfast Express (22657/22658)

Trivandrum Superfast Express (12695/12696)

Alleppey Superfast Express (22639/22640)

Mangalore Express (16159/16160)