National News: An important decision has been announced that will impact crores of passengers traveling by Indian Railways. The fare hike proposed by the Railway Board has received approval from the Central Government and will come into effect today. This revision will primarily affect passengers traveling in long-distance mail, express, and superfast trains.
Scope of the Fare Hike
According to the Ministry of Railways, fares for AC coaches will increase by 2 paise per kilometer, while non-AC categories will see a rise of 1 paisa per kilometer. This increase is applicable only on journeys longer than 500 kilometers. Passengers traveling shorter distances will remain unaffected.
For instance, if a passenger is traveling 1,000 kilometers, they will need to pay an additional 20 in AC class and 10 in non-AC class.
Who Is Exempted from the Hike?
The Railway Ministry has clarified that there will be no change in the fares of suburban local trains. Additionally, Monthly Season Ticket (MST) holders have been exempted from this fare increase.
Moreover, passengers who have booked their tickets before July 1 will not be required to pay the revised fare. Their bookings will remain valid at the old fare rates.
Trains Where the New Fare Will Apply
The revised fares will apply to the following trains:
- Rajdhani
- Shatabdi
- Vande Bharat
- Tejas
- Humsafar
- Duronto
- Amrit Bharat
- Mahamana
- Jan Shatabdi
- Garib Rath
- Antyodaya
- Gatimaan
- And other superfast train services
This change will affect all AC and non-AC classes on the above-mentioned trains.
No Change in Reservation Charges or Taxes
Indian Railways has confirmed that the fare hike applies only to the base fare. There will be no change in reservation charges, superfast surcharge, or GST. Ticket prices will continue to be rounded off in the usual manner—for example, a fare of 5.04 will be rounded off to 6.
First-Time Implementation Without Retroactive Impact
Previously, whenever fare hikes were introduced, passengers who had already booked their tickets were often charged the difference during the journey. However, for the first time, the Indian Railways will implement the revised fare only on new bookings made on or after July 1, 2025.
While this new system will make long-distance rail travel slightly more expensive, it also brings welcome relief for local and suburban passengers. For those planning trips in the coming months, booking tickets before July 1 could prove to be a smart financial decision.
