Indian Railways raises minimum ticketless fine from ₹250 to ₹500

India Jun 20, 2026

Traveling without a ticket on Indian Railways is about to get a lot more expensive.
Starting June 20, 2026, the minimum fine jumps from ₹250 to ₹500.
This change comes under the Jan Vishwas Act and aims to cut down on unauthorized travel while making train operations smoother.

Ticketless travelers pay fare plus ₹500

If you're found traveling without a valid ticket, you'll now have to pay both the fare for your journey (or from where the train started if they can't tell where you boarded), plus an extra ₹500 as a penalty.
Refuse to pay? You could face legal trouble: anything from another fine of up to ₹500 or even jail time for up to six months.
With 4.96 lakh ticketless travelers in the Central Railway zone in May, Indian Railways is clearly cracking down on free rides.