Train travel to become more expensive from December 26
Ticket prices for mail and express trains will rise by 2 paise per km while suburban fares remain unchanged to ensure affordability for daily commuters
Longer railway journeys are set to pinch more starting December 26, though suburban train travel will cost the same.
General-class tickets up to a distance of 215 kilometres (km) will cost the same, but for distances exceeding that, the charge will go up by 1 paisa per km. For travel by mail or express trains, both air-conditioned (AC) and non-air-conditioned (non-AC), the hike will be 2 paise per km. So, a 1,000-km train journey would cost Rs 20 more.
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Fare hike to increase Railways' annual revenue
The fare hike will reportedly increase the Railways’ annual earnings by Rs 600 crore. It said it has vastly increased its network and operations over the past decade, and running the show requires more manpower.
The Railway has announced a new fare structure effective from December 26, 2025, with no fare increase for journeys under 215 km in Ordinary Class. For journeys beyond 215 km, there will be a fare hike of 1 paise per km in Ordinary Class, and 2 paise per km for Mail/Express… pic.twitter.com/lD4fUQ8eeK
— ANI (@ANI) December 21, 2025
According to the authorities of the Railways, known to be the country's lifeline, their manpower cost has gone up to Rs 1,15,000 crore, while that for pension to Rs 60,000 crore. The total operational costs have gone beyond Rs 2,60,000 crore in the 2024-25 fiscal.
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Officials said that they were making a limited hike in fare to deal with the rising expenditures and focused on higher cargo loading.
Under the latest rationalisation, fares for suburban services and monthly season tickets, which account for the Railways' largest share of passengers, will not see any rise, however.
The latest hike in fares is the second that the Railways has carried out in 2025. In July, travelling by AC got dearer by 2 paise per km, while in the case of non-AC, it was one paisa.
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The hike before that in July had come five-and-a-half years ago, on January 1, 2020.
After the latest hike in the train fares, the base fare between Mumbai and Delhi may become costlier by Rs 28; that between Delhi and Kolkata by Rs 29; between Delhi and Chennai by Rs 44; between Kolkata and Chennai by Rs 33; and so on.