Rail fares rise: 1 paisa/km beyond 215 km, 2 paise/km for others

The Railway Ministry announced a fare hike that will affect long-distance travelers. Beginning December 26, 2025, ordinary class fares will increase by 1 paisa per kilometer for journeys beyond 215 km, while non-AC and AC classes across mail/express trains will see a rise of 2 paise per kilometer. There is no increase in monthly season tickets for suburban trains, and the hike applies to travel beyond the 215 km threshold in ordinary class on other trains as well. Officials said the move is expected to fetch around ₹600 crores for the Railways up to March 31, 2026, building on a previous July 2025 fare adjustment that reportedly generated about ₹700 crore in revenue since it was implemented.

Meanwhile, reports indicate non-AC journeys will see an additional roughly ₹10 rise for every 500 km of travel, signaling a broader push to fund railway services and upgrades as passenger volumes rebound. The changes underscore a continuing strategy to balance revenue generation with continued affordability for shorter suburban trips, which remain unchanged at present. Travelers planning long-distance trips should factor in the new per-kilometer charges as part of their travel budgeting, especially for longer routes where the cumulative effect becomes noticeable.

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