TNI Bureau: Indian Railways announced a revised fare structure that will come into effect from December 26, 2025, a move expected to generate additional revenue of around ₹600 crore.

Under the new pricing system, there will be no change in fares for suburban trains, monthly season tickets, or journeys up to 215 km in Ordinary Class. However, passengers travelling longer distances will see a marginal increase.

For Ordinary Class journeys beyond 215 km, fares will rise by 1 paisa per kilometre. In Mail and Express trains, both Non-AC and AC classes will attract a hike of 2 paise per kilometre. As an example, a passenger travelling 500 km in a Non-AC Mail or Express train will pay about ₹10 extra.

Railway officials said the decision was taken to balance revenue needs while keeping travel affordable for low- and middle-income passengers, especially daily commuters.

To manage the expected rush during Christmas and New Year 2025–26, Indian Railways has planned to operate 244 additional special train trips across eight railway zones. More services may be announced in the coming days depending on passenger demand.

Special trains are being run on high-density routes connecting Delhi, Howrah, Lucknow and nearby cities to cater to long-distance travellers. On the busy Mumbai–Goa (Konkan) corridor, daily and weekly special trains are operating between Mumbai CSMT/LTT and Karmali or Madgaon, offering extra seating and sleeper capacity.

Additional special services have also been introduced on routes such as Mumbai–Nagpur, Pune–Sanganer and other key corridors in Maharashtra to reduce overcrowding on regular trains.