Indian Railways to hike ticket prices from 26 December:Passengers traveling more than 215 km will have to pay an extra 1 to 2 paise per km

Indian Railways has announced an increase in passenger fares for long-distance travel. The new fares will come into effect from 26 December 2025. Passengers travelling more than 215 kilometres will now have to pay an additional 1 to 2 paise per kilometre. The railway estimates that this change will generate an extra ₹6 billion in annual revenue. However, there will be no change in fares for passengers travelling less than 215 kilometres or for monthly season ticket holders. How much will fares increase in each class? Under the Indian Railways’ new ticket rates, for journeys longer than 215 kilometres, ordinary class passengers will pay an additional 1 paisa per kilometre. For non-AC and AC classes on mail/express trains, passengers will have to pay 2 paisa per kilometre extra. For example, if a passenger travels 500 kilometres by a non-AC express train, no extra fare will be charged for the first 215 kilometres. The remaining 285 kilometres will incur an additional fare of 2 paisa per kilometre. That means the passenger will have to pay around ₹5.70 extra (285 × 0.02) for the journey. Relief for short routes and season ticket holders Railways have provided relief to millions of passengers travelling on short routes. There will be no fare hike for journeys shorter than 215 kilometres. This means short-distance travel will remain as affordable as before. Additionally, daily commuters will also benefit. There will be no changes in the prices of suburban trains and monthly season tickets (MST), ensuring that millions of passengers travelling by local trains in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Chennai are not burdened. Why did Railways need to raise fares? According to Railway Ministry sources, the fare increase is necessary due to rising operational costs and to fund infrastructure development projects. Railways are continuously working to improve services, introduce new trains, and modernise stations. The additional revenue of ₹600 crore generated from this fare hike will be used for these projects. Railways is the country’s second-largest employer, and maintaining its extensive network involves significant expenditure.