New Delhi: Passengers on overnight trains will not be able to charge their phones between 11 pm and 5 am. The Railway Board has directed all zonal railways to ensure that mobile charging points in train coaches remain switched off during those six hours, in a letter dated October 26 reported on Wednesday.

Source: Upstox (Railway Board letter)

"All Zonal Railways are advised to issue necessary Instructions to all concerned staff to ensure strict compliance for mobile charging points to invariably remain switched off from 11.00 PM to 05.00 AM. No exception should be permitted on this account," the Railway Board said in the letter.

11 PM - 5 AMHours when coach charging points must stay off
October 26, 2026Date of the Railway Board's latest letter
June 19, 2014Date of the original night-shutdown instruction

Why the Order Has Come Now

The directive follows the earlier incident on the Mumbai-Howrah Mail (train 12809), when a passenger's power bank exploded while charging at berth number six in coach B-3 near Bandamunda station in Odisha in the South Eastern Railway zone. The train was halted at around 3.38 am and resumed its journey at 3.53 am; railway personnel brought the situation under control and no injuries were reported. Reports on the Board's letter say onboard staff had not switched off the charging points during the prescribed hours that night.

Source: News Desk Report (Railway Board letter)

Awaaz Punjab reported the power bank explosion on the Mumbai-Howrah Mail earlier this week. This Board order is the follow-up step taken after that incident. Read the earlier report

The night shutdown is not a new rule. The Board's latest letter refers back to its June 19, 2014 instructions prescribing the same 11 pm to 5 am switch-off for mobile charging points in coaches. What has changed is the enforcement push: zonal railways have been asked to counsel, instruct and train the concerned staff, and officers and supervisors are to carry out surprise inspections to check compliance.

What It Means for Passengers

For anyone travelling overnight, the practical advice is simple: charge phones, laptops and other essential devices before 11 pm, because onboard charging sockets will be off until 5 am. Carrying and using your own already-charged power bank is not barred by the order — the restriction is on the train's charging points during the night window. (Sources: Railway Board letter dated October 26, 2026, as reported by Upstox and News Desk Report)