Trains to get costlier as Railways hike fares starting today
What's the story
Starting January 1, 2020, Indian Railways will be hiking train fares across its network, barring suburban train services. The fare hike, announced on Tuesday, is applicable to all AC classes, non-AC classes, and the long-distance mail/express trains. The revision in train fares is the first such hike in the past five years. Check out the hiked fares below.
Details
Here's how much more you'd have to pay for trains
Passengers will have to pay 1 paisa per kilometer more for ordinary non-AC trains. For long-distance mail/express trains, the fare hike is 2 paisa per kilometer while for AC classes, the fare hike is 4 paisa per kilometer. For example, for the 1,447 km-long journey on the Delhi-Kolkata Rajdhani, a 4 paisa per kilometer hike will raise prices by around Rs. 58.
Applicability
Bookings made before January 1 to remain unaffected
According to Hindustan Times, the fare hike applies to Rajdhani Express, Shatabdi Express, Duronto, Vande Bharat, Humsafar Express, Mahamana, Antyodaya Express, Garib Rath, Rajya Rani, Jan Shatabdi, Suvidha, Yuva and special trains. The hike also only applies to tickets bought on or after January 1, 2020. Tickets booked before this date will remain unaffected. Officials told PTI that catering charges will also remain unchanged.
Quote
Fares hiked for modernization of coaches: Indian Railways
The Railways said in a statement, "Indian Railways has continuously endeavored to augment passenger experience through modernization of coaches and provision of improved facilities over stations. Further, the burden of the 7th Pay Commission on Indian Railway has necessitated rationalization of fares." It added, "It has become imperative to increase the fare marginally without overburdening any class of passengers."
Information
Railways to add Rs. 2,300 crore revenue with fare revision
According to The Indian Express, the Indian Railways hope to add revenues of Rs. 2,300 crore with the hike. Sources told the publication that the Railways expected a revenue shortfall of at least Rs. 25,000 crore by the end of this financial year.
History
Indian Railways last hiked fares by 14.2% in 2014-15
The last time Indian Railways announced such a fare revision was a 14.2% hike across all classes and a 6.5% hike on freight charges in 2014-15. The Railways also introduced the flexi-fare scheme significantly raising fares on select trains. It had also introduced Vande Bharat Express and Tejas Express—which have relatively higher fares—along with trains with dynamic pricing, such as the Suvidha Express.