Last Chance to Book Train Tickets at Lower Rates: Indian Railways to Hike Fares from July 1: Know Details

The Indian Railways is set to increase passenger fares for the first time in five years, starting from 1st July 2025. According to the latest commercial circular issued by the Ministry of Railways, train fares will see a marginal increase in certain categories. Alongside the fare revision, a significant change has been introduced for Tatkal bookings, passengers will now be required to furnish their Aadhaar details at the time of reservation.

Book Train Tickets Before 1st July to Avoid New Fare Hike

Passengers who book their tickets before 1st July 2025 will not be affected by the new fare structure and will continue to travel at the existing rates. Non-AC Mail and Express trains will have a fare hike of one paisa per kilometre, while air-conditioned (AC) and Executive Chair Car (EC/EA) classes will witness a slightly higher increase of two paise per kilometre.

Importantly, fares for suburban trains, including single journey tickets and monthly season passes (both suburban and non-suburban), will remain unchanged to protect the interests of daily commuters.

Distance-wise Train Ticket Fee Hike: Will Fare Will be Increase for Distance Up to 500 KM in Train?

For ordinary second-class travel, fares will remain the same for journeys up to 500 kilometres, ensuring budget-friendly travel for short-distance passengers. However, for longer distances, a nominal fixed increase will apply like Rs 5 for journeys between 501 and 1,500 kilometres, Rs 10 for 1,501 to 2,500 kilometres, and Rs 15 for distances between 2,501 and 3,000 kilometres. Similarly, sleeper class ordinary and first-class ordinary fares will be increased by half a paisa per kilometre.

Revised Fares of Premium and Special Train Services Like Tejas Express, Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, Vande Bharat, Humsafar Express and More

The Ministry has also revised the basic fares of various premium and special train services, including Tejas Rajdhani, Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, Vande Bharat, Humsafar, Amrit Bharat, Tejas, Mahamana, Gatimaan, Antyodaya, Garib Rath, Jan Shatabdi, Yuva Express, ordinary (non-suburban) services, Anubhuti coach, and AC Vistadome coach. These fares have been adjusted according to the proposed class-wise increases in the revised fare structure.

Other charges such as reservation fees and superfast surcharges will remain unchanged and will continue to be levied wherever applicable. Goods and Services Tax (GST) will also be applicable as per existing regulations and government instructions. Additionally, rounding off fares will continue to follow the existing principles.

For tickets already issued at pre-revised rates, the new fare structure will not apply. The difference in fare for journeys starting on or after 1st July will not be reflected in the reservation charts for these tickets. However, any new tickets issued by Train Ticket Examiners (TTEs) or ticket checking staff on trains or at stations from 1st July onwards will be charged according to the revised fare.

To ensure transparency and passenger awareness, the fare list displayed at stations will be updated to reflect the new rates effective from 1st July. Necessary modifications will be made in the manual ticketing system, Passenger Reservation System (PRS) and Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) to incorporate these changes.

Special arrangements will be implemented to inform railway staff about the revised fare structure and the updated Passenger Fare Table well in advance. Training and instructions will be provided to ensure that all concerned staff members fully understand the changes and implement them effectively.