Starting From Today, traveling by train in India has become more expensive as the Ministry of Railways' new fare structure comes into effect. The hike, which was officially notified earlier this week, targets long-distance travel while keeping suburban and short-distance fares unchanged to protect daily commuters.
How Much More Will You Pay?
The fare increase is calculated on a per-kilometer basis and varies depending on the type of train and the class of travel.
- Mail & Express Trains (Sleeper, 3A, 2A, 1A): Fares for all AC and non-AC classes have been increased by 2 paise per kilometer. For a standard 500 km journey, this translates to an additional ₹10 on the base fare.
- Ordinary Class (Non-AC): For journeys exceeding 215 km, the fare has increased by 1 paisa per kilometer.
- Graded Increase for Second Class: For ordinary services, the hike is implemented in slabs: ₹5 extra for 216–750 km, ₹10 for 751–1,250 km, and up to ₹20 for journeys exceeding 1,751 km.
Exemptions and Premium Trains
The Ministry has clarified that Suburban (local) services and Monthly Season Tickets (MSTs) are completely exempt from this hike. Additionally, there is no increase for Ordinary Class travel for distances up to 215 km. However, premium services like Vande Bharat, Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, and Humsafar will see their basic fares revised in line with the class-wise 2 paise per km increase.
Why the Fare Hike?
This "rationalization" is expected to generate an additional ₹600 crore in revenue by March 2026. Railway officials cited a massive surge in operational expenditures, which have reached ₹2.63 lakh crore for the 2024–25 period. Rising manpower costs (₹1.15 lakh crore) and a growing pension bill (₹60,000 crore) were named as primary drivers for the decision.
Important Note for Travelers:
The new rates apply only to tickets booked on or after December 26, 2025. If you have already booked your ticket prior to today, you will not have to pay any additional fare, regardless of when your journey takes place.
