SRINAGAR: The Railway Ministry has formally notified an increase in passenger train fares, with revised rates coming into effect for tickets booked on or after December 26, 2025. Under the new structure, fares will rise by 1 paise per kilometre for ordinary class journeys beyond 215 km, and by 2 paise per kilometre for non-AC classes of mail and express trains as well as all AC classes.
The decision, announced earlier on December 21, marks the second fare revision this year, following a hike implemented in July. The Ministry said the move aims to strike a balance between passenger affordability and the long-term sustainability of railway operations.
According to the notification, there will be no change in fares for suburban services or season tickets, covering both suburban and non-suburban routes. For ordinary non-AC, non-suburban services, fares have been revised in a graded manner. Second-class ordinary tickets will remain unchanged for journeys up to 215 km. For distances between 216 km and 750 km, fares will increase by Rs 5, rising progressively to Rs 10 for 751–1,250 km, Rs 15 for 1,251–1,750 km and Rs 20 for 1,751–2,250 km.
For sleeper class ordinary and first-class ordinary services, fares have been uniformly revised at 1 paise per kilometre for non-suburban journeys, ensuring what the Ministry described as a gradual and limited increase. In mail and express trains, both non-AC and AC classes will see a uniform rise of 2 paise per kilometre. As an example, passengers travelling 500 km in a non-AC mail or express coach will pay around Rs 10 more.
The revised fares apply across major train services, including Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, Vande Bharat, Tejas, Humsafar, Amrit Bharat, Garib Rath, Jan Shatabdi and other listed categories, in line with approved class-wise fare changes. Tickets booked before December 26 will not attract any additional charges, even if the journey takes place after the new fares come into force.
The Ministry said fare charts displayed at stations will be updated accordingly, reiterating that Indian Railways remains committed to providing safe, reliable and affordable travel while ensuring operational viability.
