Train Freight
On the Indian Railways, goods or articles are transported in two ways: railway parcels and railway goods or freight. While parcels are typically small and can be booked from virtually any station to any station, despatch of parcels has the advantage that parcels are typically sent by express passenger trains and thus arrive at their destination quickly, particularly between major cities connected by important fast trains.
When a parcel is booked, the parcel clerk gives a "Parcel Waybill," which is a receipt that must be presented at the destination to accept delivery. While the original parcel waybill is sent to the customer/consignee, a duplicate is attached to the parcel or its train custodian. At the parcel office, the duplicate copy is kept.
The other mode of good’s transportation is by means of goods or freight, which is conveyed in specially constructed wagons. Consignors that need to ship a significant number of goods over great distances should use this mode of transportation. The railways accept a minimum of 100 tonnes of cargo across a distance of 100 kilometers for freight booking.
When a freight consignment is to be booked, the consignor must go to the station master or goods clerk and sign a "Forwarding Note" that contains information about the goods to be sent, such as the type of goods, destination, type of wagons needed, date of loading, weight of goods, and any other information the Railways may require. In addition to the forwarding note, the consignor must pay a "Wagon Indent Deposit,"
which serves as a security deposit against wagon demand at the station/siding.
What is the smallest amount of weight I may send via train parcel?
For a distance of 50 kilometers, the usual base fee is Rs. 1.63 per 10 kg.
Except for registered newspapers and magazines, the minimum price for all shipments is 50 kilometers, and the minimum payment is Rs. 30.00.
Except by prior arrangement, the maximum permitted weight and dimensions of any package/article that can be accepted for booking are 150Kgs; 2.0 meters x 1.5 meters x 1.25 meters. There is no requirement for a minimum weight.
