Indian Railways Update: Suburban, Monthly Pass Fares Unchanged; Long-Distance Rail Tickets Get Marginal Hike

There will be no increase in fares for suburban trains and Monthly Season Tickets. Ordinary class fares for journeys up to 215 km will also remain unchanged.

For longer distances, ordinary class fares for journeys beyond 215 km will increase by one paise per kilometre. Fares for Mail and Express trains in non-AC classes will rise by two paise per kilometre, while AC class fares will also see an increase of two paise per kilometre.

According to Railway officials, the fare rationalisation is expected to generate additional revenue of around Rs 600 crore during the current financial year. For a 500 km journey in non-AC coaches, passengers will have to pay about Rs 10 more.

Railways officials said the revision is aimed at meeting rising operational costs. Over the past decade, Indian Railways has expanded its network and operations significantly, leading to higher manpower requirements. Manpower costs have increased to Rs 1.15 000 crore, while pension expenditure has risen to Rs 60,000 crore. The total operational cost for 2024–25 stands at Rs 2.63 lakh crore.

To address these costs, Railways is focusing on increasing freight loading along with limited passenger fare rationalisation.

Officials said that investments in safety and operational improvements have yielded results. Indian Railways has emerged as the second-largest freight-carrying railway system in the world. The successful operation of more than 12,000 additional trains during the recent festival season was cited as an example of improved operational efficiency.

Railways said it will continue efforts to enhance efficiency and contain costs while meeting its social obligations.

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