Train travel in India is set to become costlier from December 26, with the Railways implementing a fare hike for long-distance journeys. While suburban travel and short-haul general class tickets will remain unaffected, passengers travelling beyond a certain distance will have to pay more.
The Railways clarified that suburban train fares will not be increased, offering relief to daily commuters.
Under the revised fare structure, general class tickets for journeys up to 215 kilometres will remain unchanged. However, for distances exceeding 215 km, passengers will pay an additional 1 paise per kilometre.
For non-air-conditioned coaches on mail and express trains, fares will rise by 2 paise per kilometre. The same increase of 2 paise per kilometre will apply to air-conditioned coaches as well.
This means a passenger travelling 500 km in a non-AC coach will pay Rs 10 more once the new rates come into effect.
Railways Cites Rising Costs and Expansion
Explaining the decision, the Railways said its network and operational scale have expanded significantly over the past decade, accompanied by a sharp rise in manpower requirements.
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According to official figures, manpower costs have increased to Rs 1.15 lakh crore, while pension expenditure stands at Rs 60,000 crore. The total cost of operations for the 2024-25 financial year has risen to Rs 2.63 lakh crore.
To manage these costs, the Railways said it is focusing on enhancing cargo loading while also adjusting passenger fares.
Fare Hike Expected to Boost Revenue
The latest increase is expected to add around Rs 600 crore annually to the Railways’ earnings, officials said.
This is the second fare hike in 2025, following an earlier revision in July, when non-AC mail and express fares were raised by 1 paise per km, and AC fares by 2 paise per km.
Before the July revision, the last major fare hike was implemented on January 1, 2020. At that time, second-class fares for ordinary trains rose by 1 paisa per km, while mail and express fares increased by 2 paise per km. Sleeper and all AC class fares were hiked by 2 paise per km and 4 paise per km, respectively.
With the December 26 revision, passengers undertaking longer journeys will once again feel the pinch, even as short-distance and suburban travel remains insulated from the increase.
