Indian Railway’s fresh fare hikes to be effective from July 1

New Delhi: The Railway Ministry issued an official circular on Monday increasing fares of non-AC class in mail and express trains by 1 paisa and all AC classes by 2 paise per kilometre from July 1, PTI reported.

The ministry officials had earlier on June 24 indicated the proposed fare revision.

However, the official circular with fare tables for trains and class categories was released on Monday.

The fares of suburban trains and monthly season tickets have been left unchanged in the interest of daily commuters.

Ordinary second-class fares have not been increased for up to 500 km, and for distances beyond that, there is an increase in ticket prices by half paisa per km.

The passengers of ordinary sleeper class and first class will also have to pay half paisa per km more for the train journey from July 1.

In another news, the Ministry of Railways has announced a series of upgrades aimed at improving the travel experience and booking efficiency for passengers. One key change is the decision to prepare reservation charts for long-distance trains eight hours prior to departure instead of the current four-hour window. This adjustment, the ministry stated, is intended to help passengers from remote locations plan their journeys more effectively.

The move was decided during a recent review meeting chaired by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. "Under Vaishnaw's guidance, officials are working to prepare the reservation chart eight hours before the train's departure instead of the current four hours," the statement read.

"It will benefit passengers travelling from remote locations or suburbs of major cities to catching long-distance trains. It will also provide more time to make alternative arrangements in case the waitlist is not confirmed," the ministry said.