In order to balance growing operating costs while minimizing the impact on customers, the Ministry of Railways announced a rationalization of passenger tickets. A revised fare structure is scheduled to go into effect on December 26. Daily commuters would benefit from the Railways’ announcement that there will be no fee increases for suburban services and Monthly Season Ticket (MST) holders. Similarly, there won’t be a fee rise for regular-class travelers up to 215 kilometers. Fares in regular class will rise by one paise per kilometer for trips longer than 215 kilometers. The fare rise for Mail and Express non-AC categories has been set at 2 paise per kilometre, and AC classes will also experience a consistent 2 paise per km increase.
The Ministry made it clear that travelers will only be little impacted financially by the rise. For example, under the new arrangement, a 500-kilometer non-AC trip will only cost an additional Rs 10. The release states that an additional Rs 600 crore in revenue is anticipated as a result of the rationalization. Strengthening safety through increased manpower deployment is being prioritized, and expenditures connected to manpower have increased to around Rs 1,15,000 crore. According to the statement, the Railways’ total operational costs for 2024–2025 are projected to be Rs 2,63,000 crore, while the pension bill has also seen a significant hike, reaching Rs 60,000 crore.