Railway Ticket Prices Go Up From Today; What Passengers Should Know

New Delhi: Indian Railways has officially raised passenger ticket prices from Friday, with the changes taking effect for all bookings made on or after this date. The hike aims to help cover rising operating costs while trying to keep travel affordable for regular commuters. 

Who Will Pay More?

Under the revised structure, fares for non-AC mail and express trains will go up by 2 paise per kilometre. For AC classes, the increase is  also 2 paise per kilometre. For journeys beyond 215 km in ordinary class, fares will increase by 1 paise per kilometre. For many passengers, the increase will be small in absolute terms. For example, a non-AC passenger travelling 500 km will pay around Rs 10 more.

Which Journeys Are Not Affected?

Not all rail users will see higher costs:

• Suburban services like local trains remain unchanged.
• Monthly Season Tickets (MSTs) are also not part of the hike.
• Ordinary non-AC travel up to 215 km will continue at existing fares. 

Why Did Fares Increase?

The Ministry of Railways says the fare revision is part of a broader effort to streamline the fare system and generate additional funds for maintenance and passenger services. The Railways expects to earn around Rs 600 crore in extra revenue from this move. 

The additional funds are likely to be used for improving safety, upgrading infrastructure, and enhancing onboard facilities. It's the second fare change in about six months. 

Rail officials also note that the revised fares will come into effect for tickets booked on or after December 26. Passengers who have already booked tickets before this date will not be charged the revised rates, even if the travel date is later.