NEW DELHI — The Indian Railways announced a fare revision on Thursday, 25 December, with increased ticket prices set to take effect from Friday, 26 December. While existing bookings remain protected, all new reservations made from tomorrow will incur the revised rates for most long-distance and premium train services.
Which Journeys Will Cost More?
The revised fare structure will impact a wide range of train services. All major categories—Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Vande Bharat, Duronto, Humsafar, Amrit Bharat, Garib Rath, and Jan Shatabdi Express trains—will see price increases. The hike also applies to mail and express trains, along with ordinary non-AC classes for non-suburban travel. Crucially, suburban train services, season tickets, and AC MEMU/DEMU services in some cases will not see any increase, shielding daily commuters.
Breaking Down the New Fare Structure
The increase is structured differently across classes. For ordinary non-AC sleeper and first-class tickets on non-suburban routes, fares will rise by 1 paise per kilometre. Second-class ordinary fares see a slab-based increase: no change for journeys up to 215 km, but hikes ranging from ₹5 to ₹20 for longer distances. For all mail and express trains, including AC classes like 3-tier, 2-tier, and AC chair car, the fare will increase by a uniform 2 paise per kilometre travelled.
What Remains Unchanged?
The Railways has confirmed that several key charges will not change. This includes reservation fees, the superfast train surcharge, and catering charges. Additionally, this modification has no bearing on the Goods and Services Tax (GST). This indicates that there is no additional load from supplemental fees and that the whole increase for a passenger is contained within the new base fare.
Protection for Existing Bookings
In a relief to passengers who have already planned their travel, the new fares will not apply retrospectively. Any ticket booked on or before 25 December, even for travel dates in the future, will be honoured at the old rate. The revision applies strictly to new bookings made from 00:00 hours on 26 December onwards.
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A Graded Approach to Fare Revision
The railway’s strategy seems to be intended to strike a balance between passenger impact and revenue requirements. The increase mainly targets long-distance and premium travel, leaving suburban and short-distance second-class tickets unaffected.
The per-kilometer rise methodology leads to a higher overall ticket increase for longer trips, but the flat hike for mail/express trains standardizes the impact across their AC and non-AC classes.
List of Revised Train Fares
1. Ordinary Non-AC Classes (Non-Suburban Services)
-
First Class & Sleeper Class: Increase of 1 paise per kilometre.
-
Second Class:
- 0 to 215 km: No increase.
- 216 to 750 km: Increase of ₹5.
- 751 to 1250 km: Increase of ₹10.
- 1251 to 1750 km: Increase of ₹15.
- 1751 to 2250 km: Increase of ₹20.
2. Mail/Express Train Services (All Classes)
- Applicable Classes: Sleeper Class, First Class, AC Chair Car, AC 3-Tier, AC 2-Tier, and AC First Class.
- Revision: A uniform increase of 2 paise per kilometre for both AC and non-AC classes.
Trains & Services Affected
The revised fares apply to bookings for:
- Tejas, Mahamana, Gatimaan, Antyodaya, Garib Rath, Jan Shatabdi, Yuva Express, Namo Bharat Rapid Rail, Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, Vande Bharat, Humsafar, Amrit Bharat.
- All other non-suburban services (excluding some AC MEMU/DEMU services).
Important Points and Exemptions
- Suburban train services, all season tickets (suburban and non-suburban), and existing bookings (even for future travel) are unaffected.
- Reservation fees, superfast surcharges, other service fees, and GST are all unaffected.
Note: This is a summary of the revised structure. The exact new fare for a specific journey can be calculated by adding the per-kilometre or slab-based increase to the current base fare.
Immediate FAQ:
Q: From when are the revised fares applicable?
A: The new fares are effective for all bookings made from December 26, 2025 onwards.
Q: Will my existing ticket price change?
A: No. Tickets booked on or before December 25 are not impacted, even if travel is later.
Q: Which train services are exempt from the increase?
A: Suburban trains, certain AC MEMU/DEMU services, and season tickets are unaffected. Long-distance and premium trains face higher fares.
Q: How much has the Sleeper class fare increased?
A: Ordinary sleeper tickets see a rise of 1 paise per km, while mail/express sleeper tickets increase by 2 paise per km.
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