New Delhi: On July 1, 2025, Indian Railways will raise passenger train fares by a small amount. This is the first increase since 2020. The change will help the company cover increased operational costs and also won’t affect the average passenger much.
According to the report, non-AC Mail and Express tickets will go up by 1 paisa per kilometre. AC class fares will increase by 2 paise per kilometre. If you travel more than 500 kilometres in ordinary second class, you will have to pay 0.5 paisa per kilometre extra. There is no change in suburban train fares and monthly season tickets. They will not affect daily commuters and people who often take short-distance journeys.
A non-AC ticket from Delhi to Patna (1000 kilometres) will cost approximately Rs 10 more. An AC ticket from the same place will be Rs 20 more. The distance from Delhi to Mumbai (1400 kilometres) will cost Rs. 14 extra for a non-AC ticket and Rs. 28 extra for an AC ticket. “It won’t make a big hole in the pocket of the passengers,” said a senior railway official to The New Indian Express.
The fare increase has not been finalised yet. The Ministry of Railways has to approve it. According to M. Jamshed, former Member (Traffic) of the Railway Board, it will add an extra Rs 1,500 crore to Rs 1,600 crore in passenger revenue. “This is a long overdue rationalisation to keep Indian Railways going financially,” said the former Railway Board member.
In addition to the fare increase, Indian Railways also announced tougher rules for Tatkal ticket bookings. Aadhaar-based OTP authentication will be mandatory for online Tatkal ticket bookings through the IRCTC website or app from July 1, 2025. From July 15, the requirement will apply to Tatkal bookings at computerised Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters and through agents. “This step will prevent agents’ abuse, and genuine passengers will benefit,” the official added.
Tatkal tickets cannot be purchased through agencies from the start of the session until thirty-five minutes after it begins. The period of issuing tickets is from 10:00 to 10:30 a.m. for air-conditioned classes and 11:00 to 11:30 a.m. for non-air-conditioned. Reports indicate that the Ministry of Railways has submitted a proposal for fare increases. If the ministry grants its consent, the hikes will take effect after July 1.
A senior railway official points out that, in particular, the railway needs to improve its services along with the rising cost of tickets. “See the fare of a Delhi-Mumbai Tejas express class ticket; it will rise by around Rs 27. After the fare goes into effect on July 1st, it will be Rs 4240,” a source said.
The announcement by the Railways of a fare hike comes at a time when passenger demand and operations are both high. Passengers who plan to travel on or after July 1st should buy their tickets now and are advised to carry their Aadhar cards when they travel via Tatkal. The change will guarantee the implementation of the rules and prevent any issues during ticket booking.