Watching Reels Without Earphones on Trains? You Could Face a ₹5,000 Fine or Six Months in Jail

Indian Railways warns passengers against loud phone calls, speaker-mode conversations and videos played without earphones. Here is what the law says and how travellers can avoid penalties.

Watching Instagram Reels without earphones, playing music loudly or speaking at the top of your voice on the phone during a train journey could land you in legal trouble. Indian Railways is warning passengers against behaviour that disturbs fellow travellers, with penalties that can include a ₹1,000 fine and, in cases of continued nuisance, imprisonment.

The warning comes as smartphones have become a common way for passengers to pass the time during long journeys. However, playing videos on loudspeaker or having lengthy, noisy phone conversations can make the journey uncomfortable for everyone sharing the coach.

The message is simple: passengers can use their phones, but they must respect the comfort and peace of others.

What Is the Rule for Watching Reels on Trains?

Passengers often watch short videos, listen to music, browse social media or make calls while travelling. These activities are not automatically prohibited.

The problem arises when the sound or behaviour becomes a nuisance to other passengers. Playing videos at high volume, using a phone's speaker mode in a crowded coach or speaking loudly for an extended period may lead to complaints and action under the applicable railway rules.

The key issue is whether the behaviour disturbs others, rather than simply whether a passenger is using a mobile phone.

Passengers are therefore advised to use earphones or headphones while watching videos and listening to music. They should also keep phone conversations quiet, particularly in sleeper coaches and during night journeys.

What Is the Fine for Disturbing Fellow Passengers?

The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026, provides for changes to Section 145 of the Railways Act, 1989, which deals with drunkenness and nuisance on railway premises.

Under the revised wording, a person who commits a nuisance or engages in specified misconduct that affects other passengers can be removed from the railway and face a fine of ₹1,000.

The provision also sets out a more serious consequence for continued nuisance. If the person continues the behaviour after being instructed by a railway employee who has lawful authority to issue such a warning, the punishment may extend to simple imprisonment for six months, a fine of up to ₹5,000, or both.

These penalties are based on the statutory wording. They should not be interpreted as meaning that every instance of loud phone use automatically results in a fine or jail term. The circumstances and the application of the law matter.

Does the Rule Specifically Ban Mobile Phones?

No. The provision concerns nuisance and behaviour that affects other passengers' comfort. It does not establish a blanket ban on smartphones, social media or ordinary phone conversations.

Passengers can continue watching Reels, streaming videos, listening to music and making calls, provided their activities do not disturb others.

For example, a passenger watching a video through earphones at a reasonable volume is unlikely to create the same problem as someone playing the video aloud in a crowded coach.

Similarly, a brief, quiet phone call is different from a loud conversation that continues despite requests to stop.

The practical distinction is between using a device responsibly and creating a disturbance in a shared public space.

Why Is Indian Railways Taking This Issue Seriously?

Indian Railways carries millions of passengers across the country. People travelling in the same coach may have very different needs. Some want to sleep, while others may be studying, working, reading or caring for children.

During overnight journeys, loud phone conversations and videos can disturb several passengers at once. In crowded coaches, even a single person's noise can affect people sitting or sleeping nearby.

Such situations can also lead to arguments between passengers. Encouraging quieter behaviour can help prevent unnecessary conflicts and make train travel more comfortable.

The rule highlights an important principle of public transport: using a personal device should not mean imposing its sound on everyone around you.

How Can Passengers Avoid a Fine?

Travellers can follow a few simple steps to avoid disturbing others and reduce the risk of complaints.

Use earphones or headphones: Wear them whenever you watch videos, browse Reels or listen to music.

Keep your voice low: Speak quietly during phone calls, especially in sleeper and AC coaches.

Avoid speaker mode: Use the phone normally rather than broadcasting your conversation to the entire compartment.

Respect sleeping hours: Avoid loud audio and lengthy conversations when other passengers are resting.

Respond to warnings: If railway staff lawfully instruct you to stop a disturbance, cooperate rather than continuing the behaviour.

These measures are simple, but they can make a meaningful difference during long-distance journeys.

What Should Passengers Remember?

The revised legal provision is intended to address nuisance and protect the comfort of fellow travellers. Its penalties can be serious, particularly when a person continues the nuisance despite a lawful instruction to stop.

However, passengers should not assume that merely watching a Reel or making a phone call is an offence. The relevant question is whether the conduct falls within the legal provision on nuisance or other specified misconduct.

The distinction matters because the law addresses behaviour that affects others, not the mere ownership or use of a mobile phone.

The Bottom Line

Watching Reels, listening to music and making phone calls remain part of everyday life, including during train journeys. But a shared coach is not a private entertainment space.

Passengers should use earphones, keep their voices down and respect those around them. Ignoring a lawful instruction to stop causing a nuisance can have consequences under railway law.

A simple habit—using earphones and speaking quietly—can help travellers avoid unnecessary trouble and ensure a more peaceful journey for everyone.