Railway Fare Hike: Train Tickets to Get Costlier from December 26, Check New Sleeper and AC Fares
New Delhi | December 21, 2025 | DeccanLive.com
Train passengers across India will have to pay more for their journeys as Indian Railways has announced an increase in ticket fares. The revised fares will come into effect from December 26.
According to railway officials, the fare hike will apply to Mail, Express, Sleeper, AC and Non-AC categories, while passenger and local train fares will remain unchanged to protect low-income travelers.
For non-AC categories, passengers traveling more than 500 kilometers will have to pay ₹10 extra. In Mail and Express trains, the fare has been increased by 2 paise per kilometer for journeys beyond 215 kilometers. This means a longer journey will now cost slightly more.
In general category trains, passengers traveling more than 215 kilometers will have to pay 1 paise extra per kilometer. For Sleeper and AC classes, the increase is 2 paise per kilometer for distances beyond 215 kilometers.
Railway sources estimate that this fare revision will help the Railways earn around ₹600 crore in additional revenue.
Explaining the decision, railway officials said that over the past 10 years, the number of trains has increased significantly, railway tracks have expanded, and more staff have been hired to ensure safety and smooth operations. The cost of salaries alone has reached ₹1.15 lakh crore, along with an increasing pension burden. To manage these rising expenses, a fare hike was necessary.
