The Indian Railways has officially announced an increase in passenger fares, with the new pricing structure set to take effect from Friday, 26 December. The national transporter issued a notification on Thursday, 25 December, detailing the revisions that will impact bookings made on or after the effective date.
Which Train Services Will See Higher Fares?
The revised fares will apply to a wide range of premium and express train services. This includes major categories such as Tejas Rajdhani, Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, Vande Bharat, Humsafar, Amrit Bharat, Tejas, Mahamana, Gatimaan, Antyodaya, Garib Rath, Jan Shatabdi, Yuva Express, and the Namo Bharat Rapid Rail services. The changes will also be implemented for non-suburban train services, with the exception of AC MEMU and DEMU services where specified.
However, the Railways has clarified that suburban train services will remain unaffected by this revision. Additionally, the cost of Season Tickets, for both suburban and non-suburban travel, will not see any change.
Detailed Breakdown of the Fare Revisions
The core of the adjustment lies in the rationalization of fares for Ordinary Non-AC classes on non-suburban routes. The increases have been applied in a graded manner across different travel classes and distances.
Changes for Ordinary Non-AC Classes
For First Class Ordinary tickets, passengers will now pay an additional 1 paise per kilometer traveled on non-suburban journeys.
The revision for Second Class Ordinary tickets is more nuanced, designed to shield short-distance travelers. There will be no fare increase for journeys up to 215 km. For distances between 216 km and 750 km, the fare will rise by ₹5. Longer trips will see higher increments: a ₹10 increase for 751-1250 km, ₹15 for 1251-1750 km, and ₹20 for journeys spanning 1751 to 2250 km.
Passengers booking Sleeper Class Ordinary tickets will see a uniform increase of 1 paise per kilometer, mirroring the First Class hike.
Impact on Mail and Express Trains
A broader increase has been mandated for Mail and Express train services. Fares across all classes—including Sleeper, First Class, AC Chair Car, AC 3-Tier, AC 2-Tier, and AC First Class—will go up by 2 paise per kilometer. This applies to both non-AC and AC accommodations within these train categories.
What Remains Unchanged?
The Indian Railways has confirmed that the latest revision is limited to basic fare components. There will be no change to additional charges such as reservation fees, superfast surcharges, or any other supplementary costs. The applicability of Goods and Services Tax (GST) also remains unaltered.
Importantly, the new fare structure will only apply to tickets booked on or after 26 December. All existing bookings, even for future travel dates, will be honored at the old rates, providing relief to those who have already planned their journeys.
