Many passengers routinely take to social media to complain about the bland food, dirty bathrooms, and erratic schedules on Indian trains. A train passenger recently shared multiple videos of rats crawling in an AC coach of the South Bihar Express, sparking concerns about cleanliness and hygiene on trains. Notably, Prashant Kumar paid over Rs 2,000 for a second AC ticket on the South Bihar Express, expecting a comfortable ride. But when he boarded the Ara-Durg train, he was shocked to find multiple rats sharing his coach.
Sharing the videos of the rats scurrying across the coach, he wrote, "PNR 6649339230, Train 13288, multiple rats in coach A1, rats are climbing over the seats and luggage. Is this why I paid so much for the AC 2 class?"
Watch the video here:
Mr Kumar quickly contacted the railway's helpline (139) for help. In response, the onboard staff sprayed an insecticide, typically used for cockroaches. However, the passenger claimed in a Reddit post, that this solution only made things worse, leaving him to deal with both the rats and the irritating effects of the insecticide. He added that the complaint was then automatically closed.
Later, the Railways sprung into action and responded by saying, "After Twitter complained about train no 13288 j.c.o - 06-03-2025 ex ara by passengers of a-1 49 & 50 that rats were climbing on seats, obs staff cleaned coach no a-1 by dry sweeping and wet sweeping with Lizol disinfectant. After that, mosquito repellent was sprayed under the seating area, and a glue pad was provided under the seat."
The video sparked a wide range of reactions after it was shared. While many people were outraged by the incident, others shrugged it off as a "normal" experience for Indian Railways passengers. Some viewers even poked fun at the situation, while many others expressed concern about the serious health hazards and hygiene issues raised by the presence of rats on the train.
One user wrote, "Food is terrible, hygiene is poor and so are the toilets and not to forget the linen which is washed once or twice in a month and they charge thousands of rupees. Agree some passengers don't follow instructions and leave food, but the vendors and railways have a long way to go before we compare to other countries. Remember India moves on trains and don't get me started on the hygiene and cleanliness in general and standard compartments."
Another joked, "Your ticket might be RAC, check it. Both of you will have to share the seat."
