Train fares moved twice in 2025—how repeated hikes burden passengers
While the hikes appear modest when measured per kilometre, their impact is concentrated on sleeper and second-class passengers, who account for over 70% of railway travel in India and are typically from lower-income groups.Under the latest fare structure, fares on mail and express trains have risen by 2 paise per kilometre for both AC and non-AC classes. Second-class passengers on ordinary trains travelling more than 215 kilometre (km) will now pay an additional 1 paisa per km.The latest fare rationalisation is expected to generate additional revenue of around ₹600 crore for the Indian Railways in this fiscal year.The July revision had also raised mail/express fares by 2 paise per km for AC classes and 1 paisa per km for non-AC classes, while second-class ordinary passengers were charged 0.5 paise per km after the first 500 km.The cumulative impact of both revisions becomes more pronounced on longer routes.
On the Dibrugarh-Kanniyakumari route (4,154 km), one of Indian Railways' longest, AC class passengers now pay ₹166.2 more per trip ( ₹83.1 from the July hike and another ₹83.1 from December), while non-AC mail/express fares have increased by ₹83.1 in total.Even second-class (ordinary train) passengers on this route, who paid ₹18.3 more after the July revision (which exempted the first 500 km), now pay a total of ₹57.7 more following the December revision, which applied after the first 215 km.On the popular Delhi-Mumbai route (1,400 km), the cumulative increase for AC class passengers totals ₹56 ( ₹28 from each revision), while non-AC mail/express fares have risen by ₹42 overall. Second-class (ordinary train) passengers on this route now pay about ₹16 more.The timing of these revisions is notable.
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