Indian Railways Announces Passenger Fare Hike from July 1

For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian Railways is set to revise passenger train fares, with a modest hike coming into effect from July 1, 2025. The fare revision, aimed at adjusting for inflation and operational costs, will apply to various classes of travel but will exclude suburban routes and certain second-class segments.

According to reports, non-AC Mail and Express trains will see a fare hike of 1 paise per kilometre, while AC classes will witness a higher increase of 2 paise per kilometre. However, ordinary second-class travel up to 500 kilometres will remain unaffected. For journeys beyond 500 kilometres in second class, the fare will increase by half a paise per kilometre.

In a relief for daily commuters, suburban fares and Monthly Season Ticket (MST) prices will not be affected by the new hike.

Key Highlights of the Fare Revision:

No hike for suburban train tickets.

No change in Monthly Season Ticket (MST) rates.

No increase in ordinary second-class fare for travel up to 500 km.

0.5 paise/km increase for ordinary second-class beyond 500 km.

1 paise/km increase for non-AC Mail/Express trains.

2 paise/km increase for all AC classes.

Aadhaar Authentication Mandatory for Tatkal Ticket Booking from July 1

In another significant move, the Indian Railways has announced that Aadhaar authentication will be mandatory for booking Tatkal tickets starting July 1, 2025. This new rule aims to curb misuse and streamline access to the Tatkal scheme for genuine passengers.

As per a directive issued by the Railway Ministry on June 10, Tatkal bookings through the IRCTC website or mobile app will be permitted only for users verified via Aadhaar. Further tightening the norms, the ministry will also implement Aadhaar-based OTP authentication for Tatkal bookings starting July 15, 2025.

Restrictions on Booking Agents

To prevent manipulation and unfair advantage by intermediaries, the ministry has introduced booking restrictions for authorised agents:

These representatives are now barred from booking first-day Tatkal tickets within the initial half-hour window. The restriction is effective from 10.00 am to 10.30 am for AC class bookings and from 11.00 am to 11.30 am for non-AC class bookings.

The Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) and IRCTC have been instructed to update systems and communicate the new rules to all zonal railway offices.

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