Booking Your Bike for Parcel (Indian Railways)

How to Parcel Your Bike Through Indian Railways: My Complete Step-By-Step Experience

Transporting your bike by train is one of the most affordable and reliable ways to move it between cities. However, the railway parcel procedure can feel confusing if you’re doing it for the first time.
I recently went through the entire process — from booking, wrapping, paying, tracking, and collecting the bike — and here is every single detail you need to know.

1. Before You Reach the Railway Station

Reduce Petrol To the Minimum

Indian Railways does not allow petrol inside platforms or parcel loading areas.
Keep very little fuel in the tank — just enough to reach the nearest petrol pump after you collect the bike.

Carry an Empty Bottle

Helpers will ask you to remove any remaining petrol before wrapping the bike.
They do NOT provide a bottle — so you MUST bring your own.

This must be done outside the platform since petrol is strictly prohibited inside.

2. At the Railway Station — Booking Your Bike as Parcel

Step 1: Go to the Parcel Office

Parcel offices may be:

  • Outside the station building, or

  • Inside the station near the platform

Important:
If it is inside the station, do NOT ride your bike onto the platform — RPF may charge a challan.

Instead, park it near the office and tell the staff where it is.

Step 2: Required Documents (Photocopies Only)

Carry one xerox copy of each:

  • Registration Certificate (RC)

  • Valid Insurance

  • Aadhaar Card

Railway staff did not ask for original documents, but you may carry them.

Step 3: Fill Out the Parcel Form

The clerk will give you a quick manual form. You must fill:

  • Your name

  • Mobile number

  • Bike details

  • Source → Destination station

  • Declared value of your bike

The declared value affects the price you pay.
For example, I declared ₹50,000.

Step 4: Basic Verification of Bike

The parcel clerk will visually check the bike.
They do not note the engine number or chassis number.
They only check the model and confirm it’s the right vehicle.

Step 5: Parcel Charges & Payment

Railways prefer online payment now.
The clerk will show a QR code — you scan and pay.

My parcel charge was ₹1800 (this varies by distance + declared value).

Once paid, you will receive:

📩 SMS 1 – Booking Confirmation

You receive an SMS from Indian Railways with:

  • PRR/PRR number (parcel reference)

  • Source & destination

  • Payment confirmation

This SMS confirms that your parcel booking is officially created.

Step 6: Wrapping the Bike

Wrapping is handled by private helpers (not railway staff).

Charges vary by station. Mine was ₹500.

They wrap the bike using:

  • Jute bags

  • Plastic sheets

  • Ropes

They may ask you to:

  • Remove side/rear mirrors

  • Lock the handle

Important: Petrol Removal

Helpers will not wrap the bike if there is petrol in the tank.
They will ask you to remove it first into your bottle.

Step 7: Loading onto the Train

After wrapping, helper staff will take the bike to the loading area and wait for the scheduled train.

Once the bike is successfully loaded:

📩 SMS 2 – Loading Confirmation

You receive an SMS like:

1 out of 1 pkgs of PRR No. *****93152 loaded  from DLH in Train No. 12344 on 30-10-2025 15:57. Expected arrival of this train at MMB is on EX-10:55, 31 Oct 2025. Track your package on https://parcel.indianrail.gov.in |Stop SMS email sms2pms@gmail.com with subject STOP <mob_no> CRIS/PMS

This SMS confirms your bike is on the train and gives:

  • Train number

  • Loading time

  • Expected arrival time

  • Destination station details

Booking Time

From start to finish, the entire booking process takes about 20 minutes.

3. At the Destination Station — Collecting Your Bike

Step 1: Unloading SMS

Once the train reaches and the bike is unloaded, you receive:

📩 SMS 3 – Unloading Confirmation

Example:

1 out of 1 pkgs of PRR No. *****93152 unloaded at INDB from train no. 12344 on 31-10-2025 10:55. Track your package on https://parcel.indianrail.gov.in |Stop SMS email sms2pms@gmail.com with subject STOP <mob_no> CRIS/PMS

This confirms:

  • The bike has been unloaded

  • The exact time

  • The station

  • The parcel is ready for pickup

Step 2: Go to Parcel Office With Required Documents

To collect your bike, carry:

  • Original PW Bill / Bilty (very important — official receipt)

  • Xerox of Aadhaar card

If someone else is collecting your bike:

  • They need their Aadhaar xerox

  • And your original PW Bill

Step 3: Late Pickup Charges

You get 4 hours of free time after unloading.

After that, you are charged:

  • ₹10 per hour for delay

Pay this at the parcel office before they release the bike.

Step 4: Bike Release

The staff will:

  • Match the PW Bill number

  • Verify Aadhaar xerox

  • Cut open the wrapping

  • Return the bike

You can now push the bike outside the platform, refuel at the nearest petrol pump, and ride away.

⭐ Quick Highlights (Most Important Points)

  • Keep petrol as low as possible

  • Carry an empty bottle

  • Do not ride bike on platform

  • Only xerox copies required

  • Parcel form requires a declared value

  • Payment usually via QR

  • PW Bill (Bilty) is the official parcel receipt

  • Wrapping costs around ₹500

  • You receive 3 SMS updates (Booking → Loading → Unloading)

  • Pickup free for 4 hours; after that ₹10/hr

  • Aadhaar xerox required for collection

📌 Checklist: What to Carry While Booking

  • RC xerox

  • Insurance xerox

  • Aadhaar xerox

  • Empty bottle

  • Helmet

  • Cash for wrapping (₹400–₹600)

  • (Optional) Originals — not required

📌 Checklist: What to Carry While Collecting

  • Original PW Bill / Bilty

  • Aadhaar xerox

  • Helmet

  • Cash for late charges

If someone else collects:

  • Their Aadhaar xerox

  • Your original PW Bill

If you'd like, I can also generate:

✅ SEO-optimized version
✅ A short 1-page version
✅ A bullet-only version for Instagram carousel
✅ A downloadable PDF guide

Just tell me!

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