Train charging points off 11 pm to 5 am: Railway Board order
The Railway Board has asked zones to switch off train charging points from 11 pm to 5 am. What the order says, why, and how to plan your charging.
TrainLiveStatus Desk · Updated · 3 min read
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What the Railway Board has told zones to do
According to Hindustan Times, the Railway Board has asked all zonal railways to comply with its 2014 order, which requires mobile phone and laptop charging points in coaches to be switched off between 11 pm and 5 am for fire safety. The report quotes the Board's letter, dated 26 October, which says the sockets must "invariably remain switched off" in that window and that no exception should be made.
The trigger was an incident on the South Eastern Railway. The report says onboard staff did not switch off the charging points during those hours, and a passenger's power bank exploded with smoke while it was charging.
What zones must do now
- Issue instructions to all concerned staff on the 11 pm to 5 am shutdown.
- Train staff so the shutdown is carried out properly.
- Carry out surprise inspections at officer and supervisor level to check compliance.
The letter cites one recent instance on the South Eastern Railway where staff did not switch the points off, and it says no exception should be made. The report does not say how many trains were checked or how many were found in breach.
Why the rule exists
The 2014 decision followed a fire in 2013 in an AC 3-tier coach of the Hazur Sahib Nanded to KSR Bengaluru Express. The Commissioner of Railway Safety recommended the shutdown, and the Board then ordered it for AC coaches. The 2014 letter quoted in the report refers to AC coaches and to stickers telling passengers about the restriction.
After a fire in a sleeper-class coach of the New Delhi to Darbhanga Humsafar Clone Special in November 2023, the Commissioner of Railway Safety recommended that sleeper coaches also follow the shutdown. The Board's action-taken report said deploying staff to do this in non-AC coaches was not feasible because of the cost, according to the same report.
What it means for your journey
Plan on the assumption that charging may not be available from 11 pm to 5 am. The report describes the order as covering coach charging points, but the 2014 letter it quotes refers to AC coaches, so the exact coverage on your train is not clear from the report. Do not count on a socket in the late-night hours.
| Time | What to do |
|---|---|
| Before 11 pm | Charge your phone and power bank fully while the sockets are on. |
| 11 pm to 5 am | Assume the socket is off. Keep the phone on a charged battery and your power bank unplugged. |
| 5 am onwards | The order's shutdown window ends at 5 am, but check that the socket works before relying on it. |
Do not leave a power bank or charger plugged in and unattended overnight. The incident in the report involved a power bank that exploded with smoke while charging. This is our safety advice, not something the report states.
Where to read more
Our guide to mobile charging points on trains explains which berths have sockets, and how to keep your phone charged on a long journey covers power banks. For the night itself, see how to keep valuables safe on an overnight train and how to sleep well on an overnight train.
If a socket or a coach fitting is a safety concern, call 139, the railway helpline, or follow the steps in our 139 helpline guide.
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Frequently asked questions
What hours do train charging points have to be switched off?
According to Hindustan Times, the Railway Board's letter dated 26 October 2026 says mobile and laptop charging points must be switched off from 11 pm to 5 am. The same order has been in place since 2014, and the Board has asked zones to enforce it strictly.
Does the rule apply to every coach, including sleeper?
The report describes the order as covering charging points in coaches, but the 2014 letter it quotes refers to AC coaches. The report also says the Board found extending the shutdown to non-AC coaches was not feasible on cost grounds, so the exact coverage on your train is not clear from the report.
Can I charge my phone during the night?
Not reliably. Plan for the sockets to be off from 11 pm to 5 am. Charge your phone and any power bank before 11 pm, and do not leave a charger or power bank plugged in unattended overnight.
What should I do if a socket is still on after 11 pm?
The report does not say how passengers should report this. Tell the onboard staff, and if the problem continues, call the railway helpline 139 for help with a journey issue.
Sources
Rules and fares change. Check the official source before you travel. Last reviewed 31 October 2026.
