Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Railways Notifies Calibrated Fare Hike Effective December 26, Spares Suburban and Short Trips

Officials say the rationalisation offsets rising manpower and pension costs, with roughly ₹600 crore expected this year.

Overview

  • Ordinary non‑suburban fares rise by 1 paisa per km beyond 215 km, while Mail/Express non‑AC and all AC classes increase by 2 paisa per km.
  • The revised rates apply only to tickets issued on or after December 26; pre‑booked tickets remain valid at old fares, though tickets made by TTEs on or after that date use the new rates.
  • No change for suburban services, Season Tickets, or Second Class Ordinary journeys up to 215 km; Second Class Ordinary sees slabbed increases of ₹5–₹20 for longer distances.
  • Premium and named services such as Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Vande Bharat, Tejas and others have updated basic fares; reservation fees, superfast surcharges, GST and rounding rules are unchanged.
  • Indicative impact includes about ₹10 extra for a 500 km non‑AC journey and roughly ₹15–₹30 more on routes like DelhiMumbai and DelhiHowrah; this is the second fare revision in six months.