Rail fares up marginally from 1 January
02 Jan 2020
Railways has announced a marginal increase in passenger fares for long-distance trains, effective 1 January, even as it opted to keep fares for suburban trains unchanged, in view of the affordability concerns of daily commuters.
There will be no fare hike for passengers over suburban sections and season ticket holders, while those for longer routes will go up bi 1 paise to 4 paise per passenger km, depending on the trains and class of travel, a railway ministry release stated.
The marginal increase in fares, the first since 2014-15, has been necessitated by the need to expand passenger amenities and facilities at railway stations and trains, the release stated, adding that the fare revision will in no way overburden any class of passengers.
Further, the burden of 7th Pay Commission on Indian Railway has necessitated rationalisation of fares, it said, adding that the fare revision will help in channeling funds for faster modernisation of Indian Railways.
The fare revision will leave suburban passengers who constitute 66 per cent of total passenger segment over Indian Railways, untouched. Even for the passengers traveling in ordinary non-AC classes, there will only be a marginal increase of 1 paise per passenger kilimetre.
The increase in fare will be on tickets bought on or after 1 January 2020 and no excess fare (difference of fare) will be charged from passengers who have booked tickets before 1 January 2020.
Existing fares of train services like Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, Vande Bharat, Tejas, Humsafar, Mahamana, Gatiman, Antyodaya, Garib Rath, Jan Shatabdi, Rajya Rani, Yuva Expresses, Suvidha and special trains on special charges, AC MEMU (non-suburban), AC DEMU (non-suburban) etc shall similarly be revised to the extent of the above proposed increase in class-wise fares.
There will be no change in charges for reservation fee, superfast surcharge etc. Such charges, wherever applicable, will continue to be levied additionally. GST as applicable shall be levied, as per instructions issued from time to time, the release pointed out.