What You Are Actually Buying With an Unreserved Ticket
An unreserved ticket on Indian Railways gives you the right to board any general coach on the train listed on your ticket, and nothing else. No seat number. No berth. No guarantee of space. The fare is calculated at the lowest class rate, which means a journey from Mumbai to Pune costs under ₹50, and even a long haul like Delhi to Varanasi stays well under ₹200. What the ticket does not buy is comfort, privacy, or predictability.