The Railway Ministry has officially announced a fare hike effective from December 26, 2025, with ticket prices increasing by 1 paise per kilometer for ordinary class journeys beyond 215 km, and 2 paise per kilometer for non-AC classes on mail/express trains and AC classes across all trains.
This marks the second fare revision of the year, with the previous hike taking place in July 2025.
Reason for Fare Revision
The Ministry stated that the fare revision aims to balance affordability for passengers with the sustainability of operations. It clarified that the new fare structure does not affect suburban services or season tickets, including both suburban and non-suburban routes.
Details of the Fare Hike
- Ordinary Non-AC Services:
- No fare hike for journeys up to 215 km.
- For journeys 216 km to 750 km, fare increases by ₹5.
- ₹10 for journeys between 751 km and 1250 km.
- ₹15 for distances between 1251 km and 1750 km.
- ₹20 for distances between 1751 km and 2250 km.
- No fare hike for journeys up to 215 km.
- Mail/Express Trains:
- A 2 paise per km increase for both non-AC and AC classes, which include sleeper class, first class, AC chair car, AC 3-tier, AC 2-tier, and AC first class.
- A 2 paise per km increase for both non-AC and AC classes, which include sleeper class, first class, AC chair car, AC 3-tier, AC 2-tier, and AC first class.
For example, a 500 km journey on a non-AC mail/express train would see an additional ₹10 in ticket charges.
Impact on Major Train Services
The fare revision will apply to various major services including Tejas Rajdhani, Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, Vande Bharat, Humsafar, Amrit Bharat, Tejas, Mahamana, Gatimaan, Antyodaya, Garib Rath, Jan Shatabdi, Yuva Express, Namo Bharat Rapid Rail, and ordinary non-suburban services (excluding AC MEMU/DEMU services).
Ticket Booking and Implementation
Tickets booked before December 26 will not be subject to the new fares, even if the journey takes place after the effective date. The updated fare list will be displayed at stations to reflect the new pricing, starting December 26.
Government’s Commitment
The Railway Ministry reiterated that Indian Railways remains committed to offering safe, reliable, and affordable travel to millions of passengers each day. The new fare structure represents a careful balance of passenger convenience and the need to sustain the operation of one of the world’s largest railway networks.
