Train Fare Hiked from July 1: New Rates for AC and Sleeper Classes; No Change in Local and MST Tickets

Starting July 1, 2025, Indian Railways has revised passenger fares for several train categories. If you regularly travel by long-distance mail, express, or premium trains, your journey will now cost a bit more. However, daily commuters using suburban trains or Monthly Season Tickets (MST) can breathe a sigh of relief as their fares remain untouched. The fare hike affects both non-AC and AC classes and applies to all tickets booked on or after this date.

Revised Train Fares Effective from July 1, 2025

According to the latest circular issued by the Ministry of Railways, the fare increase is modest but across the board:

• Non-AC classes (Mail/Express): Increased by 1 paisa per kilometer

• AC classes: Increased by 2 paise per kilometer

• General second class (non-suburban): Increased by 0.5 paisa per kilometer for distances above 500 km

• Sleeper and First Class: Also increased by 0.5 paisa per kilometer

For example, a 1,000 km journey in Sleeper Class will now cost ₹5 more than before, and the same distance in AC 3-Tier will cost ₹20 more.

No Change in Local Train and MST Fares

Keeping in mind the interests of daily commuters, the ministry has not revised fares for:

• Suburban train services

• Monthly Season Tickets (MST)

• Short-distance second class tickets (up to 500 km)

This move ensures that inflationary pressure does not affect lakhs of passengers who rely on local trains for work and daily needs.

Applicable to All Premium and Special Trains

The fare revision is also applicable to premium trains, including:

• Rajdhani Express

• Shatabdi Express

• Duronto

• Vande Bharat

• Tejas

• Humsafar

• Amrit Bharat

• Gatimaan

• Mahamana Express

• Antyodaya

• Jan Shatabdi

• Yuva Express

• AC Vistadome Coaches

• Anubhuti Coaches

All non-suburban services under these categories will now reflect the revised fares.

No Change in Ancillary Charges

The ministry confirmed that no changes have been made to additional charges such as:

• Reservation fees

• Superfast surcharges

• GST (Goods & Services Tax)

• Round-off charges

The existing billing rules will continue as before across PRS (Passenger Reservation System), UTS (Unreserved Ticketing System), and manual ticketing systems.

New Fare Structure at a Glance Train Category Class Fare Hike (per km)

Regular Non-AC Trains	General Second Class	0.5 paisa (no change up to 500 km)
Sleeper Class	0.5 paisa
First Class	0.5 paisa
Mail/Express Non-AC	General Second Class	1 paisa
Sleeper Class	1 paisa
First Class	1 paisa
AC Trains	AC Chair Car	2 paise
AC 3-Tier / 3E	2 paise
AC 2-Tier	2 paise
AC First Class	2 paise

Change in Tatkal Booking Rules

Along with fare revisions, the rules for Tatkal ticket bookings have also changed from July 1:

• Tatkal tickets will now only be available to users with IRCTC accounts linked to Aadhaar.

• From mid-July, OTP-based verification (sent to the Aadhaar-linked mobile number) will be mandatory.

• Railway agents will be restricted from booking Tatkal tickets for the first 30 minutes after booking opens.

The July 2025 fare revision brings a moderate increase in long-distance travel costs, particularly for AC and Mail/Express trains. While regular passengers on local routes remain unaffected, those planning intercity journeys should budget for slightly higher expenses. With changes in both fare structures and booking rules, passengers are advised to stay updated and plan their trips accordingly.