Railways Hikes Fares From Dec 26, Adds ₹10 on 500-km Trips
Railways Hikes Fares From Dec 26, Adds ₹10 on 500-km Trips
Railways announces fare hikes starting Dec 26, 2025: small per-km increases on longer journeys, with no suburban/MST changes.
Railways announced a fare hike aimed at mobilising around ₹600 crore, with the new charges kicking in from December 26, 2025. The changes affect long-distance journeys, applying a 1 paisa per km increase for ordinary class travel beyond 215 km and a 2 paise per km rise for all other classes on mail, express, and AC trains. There is no change for suburban travel or for ordinary-class journeys up to 215 km.
An official note circulated to reporters said the hike would apply to tickets booked on or after December 26, and those already booked for journeys after the date would not incur additional charges. The note also claimed that the move is part of rationalising costs tied to higher operations, manpower, and pension costs expected to drive Railways’ expenditure in the current year.
For a 500 km journey in non-AC coaches, passengers would pay about ₹10 more under the new scheme. The Railways emphasised that the fare change is meant to support expanded network and safety measures, as well as higher cargo loading, while keeping suburban monthly season tickets unchanged.
The move drew criticism from the opposition, which accused the government of introducing the hike in an unofficial manner ahead of the budget. Critics argued that fare rationalisation should be transparently linked to budgetary announcements rather than circulated unofficially.
In essence, travelers can expect modest per-km increases on longer trips, with clearer protections for daily commuters using suburban services and those traveling shorter distances in ordinary class. The Railways maintains that the adjustments are designed to balance rising operating costs with ongoing service improvements.
