Patna: Train travel to major cities including Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata has become more expensive after Indian Railways implemented a fare increase for long-distance journeys, effective from December 26.
Under the revised tariff, passengers travelling more than 215 kilometres on passenger trains will pay an additional 1 paisa per kilometre. For sleeper and air-conditioned classes, fares have been raised by 2 paise per kilometre. There is no change for journeys shorter than 215 kilometres or for holders of monthly season tickets.
Indian Railways estimates the revision will generate around Rs 600 crore in additional annual revenue.
The impact of the increase varies by route and class. Passengers travelling from Patna to Kolkata will now pay about Rs 10 more in sleeper and air-conditioned classes, and Rs 5 more in other classes. For the Patna–Delhi route, the increase amounts to roughly Rs 20 for sleeper and air-conditioned classes, and Rs 10 for other categories.
On the Patna–Kolkata route, sleeper fares have risen from Rs 350 to Rs 360. Third AC Economy (3E) fares have increased from Rs 845 to Rs 855, while 3AC fares are now Rs 925, up from Rs 915. Second AC fares have gone up to Rs 1285 from Rs 1275, and first AC fares now stand at Rs 2125, compared with Rs 2115 earlier.
Jan Shatabdi services have also seen a modest hike. Second sitting (2S) fares have increased by Rs 10 to Rs 240, while AC Chair Car fares are now Rs 815, up from Rs 805. On Vande Bharat trains, AC Chair Car fares have risen from Rs 1515 to Rs 1525, and Executive Class fares from Rs 2735 to Rs 2745.
For the Patna–New Delhi route, sleeper fares have increased from Rs 520 to Rs 540. Fares for 3E now stand at Rs 1290, up from Rs 1270, while 3AC fares have risen to Rs 1390 from Rs 1370. Second AC fares are now Rs 1950, compared with Rs 1930 earlier, and first AC fares have increased to Rs 3265 from Rs 3245.
Travelling to Mumbai has also become costlier. The sleeper fare from Patna to Mumbai is now Rs 750. On the Patliputra–Mumbai route, sleeper fares have risen from Rs 720 to Rs 750, 3AC fares from Rs 1875 to Rs 1905, 2AC fares from Rs 2685 to Rs 2715, and first AC fares from Rs 4540 to Rs 4570.
Fares on the Patna–Bengaluru route have seen a sharper increase due to the longer distance. Sleeper class fares have gone up from Rs 940 to Rs 995, AC 3-tier fares from Rs 2315 to Rs 2370, AC 2-tier fares from Rs 3490 to Rs 3545, and AC first class fares from Rs 5930 to Rs 5985.
Railway officials said the revision was part of a broader effort to boost revenue while keeping short-distance and suburban travel unaffected.
