If you often travel by train, this update may affect your budget.
Indian Railways has announced a hike in mail and express train fares.
The new ticket prices will come into effect from December 26, 2025.
The increase will mainly impact passengers travelling long distances, while short-distance travellers will get some relief.
New Fare Rules Explained Simply
Under the new fare structure, journeys of up to 215 kilometers in ordinary class will see no change in ticket prices.
However, for trips longer than 215 kilometers, fares will increase.
Ordinary class tickets will go up by 1 paisa per kilometer, while mail/express non-AC and AC classes will become costlier by 2 paisa per kilometer.
Railways to Earn ₹600 Crore from Hike
Indian Railways expects to earn over ₹600 crore from this fare revision.
While the increase per kilometer may look small, it adds up for long-distance journeys.
For example, a passenger travelling 500 kilometers in a non-AC train will now pay around ₹10 more than the current fare.
Delhi to Patna: How Much More Will You Pay?
Let’s take the Delhi to Patna route as an example.
The distance between the two cities is around 1,000 kilometers.
At present, the 3rd AC fare on the Rajdhani train is ₹2,395.
After the new hike of 2 paisa per kilometer, the ticket price will increase by ₹20, making the new fare ₹2,415.
Delhi to Mumbai Journey Gets Costlier Too
The rail distance between Delhi and Mumbai is about 1,386 kilometers.
Currently, the 3rd AC fare on the CSMT Rajdhani Express is ₹3,180.
After the fare hike, passengers will have to pay around ₹27 extra, taking the total ticket price to ₹3,207.
Second Fare Hike in One Year
This is the second train fare increase in 2025.
Earlier, Indian Railways revised ticket prices on July 1.
At that time too, mail and express train fares were increased by 1 paisa per kilometer, while AC class fares saw a hike of 2 paisa per kilometer.
With the latest revision, long-distance train travel will now cost passengers even more.
