Train tickets to get costlier from January 1 as railway ministry hikes basic passenger fare

The Ministry of Railways has marginally increased basic passenger fare for various classes of Indian Railways as per revised passenger fare table published by Indian Railway Conference Association (IRCA). The increase in fare will be effective from January 1, 2020.

The fare for second class ordinary, sleeper class ordinary and first class ordinary tickets have been increased by 1 paisa per passenger kilometre. For second class, sleeper class or first class tickets in non-AC mail or express trains, fare has been increased by 2 paise per passenger kilometre.

Ticket prices for AC chair car, AC 3-tier/3E, AC 2-tier and AC First Class/EC/EA will increase by 4 paise per passenger kilometre. This includes premium trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto. Fares for suburban (single journey fare) and season tickets (suburban and non-suburban) have been kept unchanged.

The decision to increase railway ticket prices came two days after Railway Board Chairman Vinod Kumar Yadav said that  the railways was in the process of "rationalising" its passengers and freight fares. On Sunday, Yadav had said that no decision has been taken to increase passenger and freight fares.

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