Starting today, Friday, December 26, 2025, traveling by Indian Railways has become slightly more expensive. This marks the second fare revision in the current fiscal year, following a similar move in July 2025. The Ministry of Railways stated that the hike is necessary to balance rising operational costs with the need for safety and infrastructure expansion.
Detailed Breakdown of New Fares
The hike is structured to minimize the impact on short-distance and low-income passengers.
| Travel Class | Distance/Condition | Price Hike |
| Suburban Trains | All distances | No Change |
| Monthly Season Tickets (MST) | Suburban & Non-Suburban | No Change |
| Ordinary Class | Up to 215 km | No Change |
| Ordinary Class | Beyond 215 km | 1 paisa per km |
| Mail/Express (Non-AC) | Sleeper & 2S Classes | 2 paise per km |
| All AC Classes | 3AC, 2AC, 1AC, Chair Car | 2 paise per km |
Note: For a typical 500 km journey in a non-AC Mail/Express coach, the total fare increase will be approximately ₹10.
Graded Hike for Ordinary Non-Suburban Services
For those traveling in Ordinary Second Class for longer distances, the Ministry has introduced a “graded” increase:
- 216 km – 750 km: ₹5 increase
- 751 km – 1,250 km: ₹10 increase
- 1,251 km – 1,750 km: ₹15 increase
- 1,751 km – 2,250 km: ₹20 increase
Why the Hike? The Financial Logic
The National Transporter cited a massive surge in operational expenses over the last decade. According to the official statement:
- Manpower Costs: Have risen to ₹1.15 lakh crore.
- Pension Liabilities: Have climbed to ₹60,000 crore.
- Total Operations: Estimated at ₹2,63,000 crore for 2024–25.
- Revenue Target: The December hike is expected to generate ₹600 crore by March 31, 2026. This is in addition to the ₹700 crore already collected from the July 2025 hike.
Important Information for Passengers
- Booking Date Matters: The new fares apply only to tickets booked on or after December 26, 2025. If you booked your ticket yesterday for a journey tomorrow, you do not have to pay any extra fare.
- Special Trains: The revised basic fares also apply to premium services like Vande Bharat, Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, and Humsafar.
- No Change in Other Charges: Reservation fees, Superfast surcharges, and GST rules remain the same.