Revitalising the Railways
10 years, 3 months ago

Revitalising the Railways

The Hindu  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s clarification that there was no question of >privatising the Indian Railways may not have been wholly necessary. The kind of resources needed to take up ongoing projects and also launch ambitious ones such as the dedicated rail corridor and bullet train services, cannot be met by public sector funding alone. In October, the Railways unveiled premium Tatkal ticketing, under which 50 per cent of the tickets going through the travel-eve Tatkal window was brought into a dynamic pricing package. The chief problem with the premium scheme is that it keeps the ordinary passenger who books tickets at the railway counter, out of the system: those without Internet access cannot utilise this option. Notably, in its first Railway budget, the BJP-led NDA government raised passenger fares by 14.2 per cent across the board.

Railways Railway Tatkal  cent  revitalising  dynamic  system  fares  scheme  tatkal  railways  railway  pricing  tickets

History of this topic

Train Fare Comparison: India Rs 121, Pakistan Rs 400, Sri Lanka Rs 413 for 350 km
1 week, 4 days ago

Train Fare Comparison: India Rs 121, Pakistan Rs 400, Sri Lanka Rs 413 for 350 km

India Today  

India's railway system offers some of the most affordable travel options in the region, with fares considerably lower than those in neighbouring countries. India's rail fares are not only lower than those of neighbouring countries but also reflect a broader strategy of promoting inclusive and sustainable transportation. The government's focus on efficiency, subsidies, and scale ensures that train travel remains …

Not just airfares, even Kumbh Mela train tickets are burning a hole in the pocket
2 months ago

Not just airfares, even Kumbh Mela train tickets are burning a hole in the pocket

India Today  

Devotees have gone to great lengths to take a dip in the Triveni Sangam during the Maha Kumbh, but who knew that seeking ablution of their sins and salvation at one of the holiest places in India would come at such a steep cost? The Indian Railways launched several special trains to take devotees to Maha Kumbh Mela, a once-in-144-years …

Railways gives Rs 56,993 crore subsidy on tickets every year: Ashwini Vaishnaw
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Railways gives Rs 56,993 crore subsidy on tickets every year: Ashwini Vaishnaw

Deccan Chronicle  

New Delhi: A total subsidy of Rs 56,993 crore is given every year by the Indian Railways to all categories of passengers, with a 46 per cent rebate on every ticket, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday. "A total of Rs 56,993 crore subsidy is given every year by the Indian Railways to all classes of passengers," Vaishnaw said …

Bengaluru- Kolkata 2nd AC train ticket costs Reddit user ₹10,000: Netizens say ‘travel without ticket and pay fine..’
7 months, 3 weeks ago

Bengaluru- Kolkata 2nd AC train ticket costs Reddit user ₹10,000: Netizens say ‘travel without ticket and pay fine..’

Live Mint  

A recent revelation about Indian Railways ticket prices has left many people astounded. On August 9, booking a premium tatkal ticket on the SMVB Howrah Express between Bengaluru and Kolkata would have cost a staggering ₹10,100. {{^adFree}} {{/adFree}} The Reddit user who shared the news expressed bewilderment over the exorbitant cost for a 2nd AC ticket on what is essentially …

West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee demands railways roll back dynamic pricing, give priority to safety of passengers
1 year, 4 months ago

West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee demands railways roll back dynamic pricing, give priority to safety of passengers

India TV News  

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the railways should roll back dynamic pricing of train tickets, and pay more attention to the safety and security of travellers on Sunday. Banerjee, a former railway minister, claimed that train fares were sometimes higher than flight tickets, following reports that ticket costs rose astronomically this week on various routes during the ongoing …

India’s metro rail systems should become financially sustainable
1 year, 5 months ago

India’s metro rail systems should become financially sustainable

Live Mint  

The potential of metro rail networks to ease urban traffic congestion and improve air quality, mobility, accessibility and the local economy is globally recognized. Indian metro rail systems suffer from a lack of periodic fare updates, leading to gradual erosion of the real value of fares, plummeting real revenues, increasing subsidy requirements and sudden large fare hikes after long gaps. …

Flexi ‘Fare’ & Lovely: No Hike, Railways Still Earned Rs 1,600 cr More Since April 2020, Shows Data
2 years, 2 months ago

Flexi ‘Fare’ & Lovely: No Hike, Railways Still Earned Rs 1,600 cr More Since April 2020, Shows Data

News 18  

January 2020 was the last time the Railways “marginally increased” the passage fare ranging from 1 to 4 paisa per kilometer for different classes. However, between April 2020 and October 2022, the Railways has earned at least Rs 1,619 crore additional revenue from flexi fare scheme, being implemented on premium trains, according to the Ministry data accessed by News18. In …

No change likely in rail fares, freight rates for 9th straight year
2 years, 3 months ago

No change likely in rail fares, freight rates for 9th straight year

Live Mint  

The Union budget proposals for the Indian Railways may keep passenger fares and freight rates unchanged for the ninth straight year, offering relief to customers grappling with rising prices, two people aware of the development said. The numbers behind India’s airport chaos Burmans may offload part of their stake in Dabur IT investors find little comfort in Accenture results Why …

No plans to privatise Indian Railways, says Centre
3 years ago

No plans to privatise Indian Railways, says Centre

Firstpost  

The Railways will continue to fulfil social obligations, the Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, adding that Rs 60,000 crore subsidy is provided on passenger fares New Delhi: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday said the government has no plans to privatise the Indian Railways and opposition parties’ contention in this regard is hypothetical. Replying to a discussion on demands for …

Railways earned over Rs 500 crore from Tatkal, premium Tatkal tickets during pandemic
3 years, 2 months ago

Railways earned over Rs 500 crore from Tatkal, premium Tatkal tickets during pandemic

Deccan Chronicle  

New Delhi: The Railways earned Rs 403 crore from tatkal ticket charges, an additional Rs 119 crore from premium tatkal tickets, and Rs 511 crore from dynamic fares during 2020-21, even as much of its operations remained suspended through most of the year due to the Covid pandemic, revealed an RTI reply. In a reply to a RTI filed by …

Indian Railways may charge Rs 10-35 user fees in train fares for using redeveloped stations
4 years, 6 months ago

Indian Railways may charge Rs 10-35 user fees in train fares for using redeveloped stations

India TV News  

The Indian Railways passengers may have to shell out additional Rs 10-Rs 35 for their train ticket fares as user charges for availing redeveloped stations with state of the art amenities and to help the national transporter in raising funds for redeveloping more stations, according to sources. The user fee, the sources said, will vary according to the class -- …

Indian Railways: 80 new trains from September 12, tickets available from today
4 years, 6 months ago

Indian Railways: 80 new trains from September 12, tickets available from today

Hindustan Times  

The Indian Railways will run 80 new trains starting from September 12, tickets of which went live on Thursday at the Indian Railways website. These trains will be in addition to the 230 special trains already in operation — introduced at various stages of lockdown and unlocking in the last six months. From May, the railways resumed operations in a …

Railways Rules Out Fare Regulator for Private Trains, to Allow Competition in Transport Sector
4 years, 7 months ago

Railways Rules Out Fare Regulator for Private Trains, to Allow Competition in Transport Sector

News 18  

The Railways has ruled out the possibility of a fare regulator for private trains and said that 'competitive tension' prevalent in the Indian transport scenario should address the risk of prohibitive pricing. A set of documents made public by the Railways said the project of bringing in 150 trains to be run by private operators does not have provisions for …

Railways to start tatkal ticket bookings for 230 trains. Check details
4 years, 10 months ago

Railways to start tatkal ticket bookings for 230 trains. Check details

India TV News  

The Indian Railways will resume services of 200 mail-express, Shatabdi, Duronto and other special trains from June 1, in addition to the Shramik special and 15 pairs of Rajdhani's that are currently running as it slowly moves towards resuming operations to full throttle. Ahead of the resumption of additional 200 trains, the railways has said that commuters will now be …

Railways workers ask Sonia Gandhi not to spoil good work for political benefits
4 years, 10 months ago

Railways workers ask Sonia Gandhi not to spoil good work for political benefits

Op India  

Amidst this raging controversy over who will ultimately foot the bill to ferry stranded migrant labourers back home, All India Railway Federation has written a letter to the Congress interim president, Sonia Gandhi requesting her not to play politics over the migrants’ rail fare. He clarifies that railways have subsidised 85 per cent of ticket fare for special trains being …

Indian Railways: How private players lining up to run trains is real reform
5 years, 1 month ago

Indian Railways: How private players lining up to run trains is real reform

Op India  

Twenty years ago, air travel was a distant dream for most Indians. We had Indian Airlines and Air India, both creaky government monopolies, run from equally creaky government-run airports. Read: Congress lies about Budget 2020, claims Modi Govt has reduced funds for Indian Railways: Here are the facts Smaller airports are buzzing too. Tata, Adani and Hyundai queue up to …

150 private trains on 100 routes: Niti Aayog proposes ₹ 22,500 crore plan
5 years, 2 months ago

150 private trains on 100 routes: Niti Aayog proposes ₹ 22,500 crore plan

India TV News  

Niti Aayog and Indian Railways have come out with a discussion paper for running 150 trains on 100 routes by private operators, envisaging an investment of Rs 22,500 crore. The discussion paper titled 'Private Participation: Passenger Trains' has identified 100 routes, including Mumbai Central-New Delhi, New Delhi- Patna, Allahabad-Pune and Dadar-Vadodara. The paper, prepared for discussions with stakeholders, has split …

Train rides get costlier from today: Here's by how much
5 years, 2 months ago

Train rides get costlier from today: Here's by how much

Business Standard  

After five years, Indian Railways have increased passenger fares by 1 to 4 paisa across various classes. On the New Year's eve, the railways announced fare hike across its network, effective from today, that is January 1, 2020. Ordinary non-AC, non-suburban fares were increased by 1 paise per km of journey and in mail/express non-AC class, the hike will be …

Train journey to cost more, Railways likely to hike fares
5 years, 3 months ago

Train journey to cost more, Railways likely to hike fares

India TV News  

Railway travel is likely to get costlier as Indian Railways are planning to increase prices of tickets this week. According to the reports reported in media, Indian Railways' freight revenue fell by Rs 19,412 crore between April and October this year. Indian Railways have not gone for a passenger fare hike in the past few years. It has been proposed …

Last-minute travellers help railways earn more than Rs 25,000 crore in last 4 years: RTI
5 years, 6 months ago

Last-minute travellers help railways earn more than Rs 25,000 crore in last 4 years: RTI

India TV News  

Last-minute travellers have helped railways earn a whopping Rs 25,392 crore in the last four years, an RTI has found. The national transporter earned Rs 21,530 crore from Tatkal quota tickets and an additional Rs 3,862 crore from Tatkal Premium tickets between 2016 and 2019, with a massive 62 per cent increase in revenue from the latter during this period. …

No proposal to privatise Railways: Union Miniter Piyush Goyal
5 years, 8 months ago

No proposal to privatise Railways: Union Miniter Piyush Goyal

India TV News  

There is no proposal to privatise Indian Railways, Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday. In a written reply, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said "no specific passenger train has been identified to be run by private payers so far." In his written response, Goyal said, ".there is no proposal to privatise Indian Railways". In a separate written reply, Goyal said that …

Railways eyes new revenue source: Freight trains to display ads
5 years, 9 months ago

Railways eyes new revenue source: Freight trains to display ads

Live Mint  

For the first time, freight trains will display The South Eastern Railway has awarded a contract under the "Branding on Wheels" scheme to Dalmia Cement for a period of five years for 300 BOXN wagons or five rakes. "The "It is movable advertising and this means that the client will get greater publicity across the route," said an official. Beside …

Train ticket booking: IRCTC to give you option to give up subsidy
5 years, 9 months ago

Train ticket booking: IRCTC to give you option to give up subsidy

India TV News  

Every time you book a train ticket in India, Railways bears 47 per cent cost of it. The Indian Railways is now mulling implementing a "give it up" scheme asking passengers to sacrifice the subsidy on train tickets. A senior Railway Ministry official aware of the development told IANS: "The railways has submitted a 100-day plan to the Prime Minister's …

Indian Railways set to come up with revised flexi-fare scheme next month
6 years, 7 months ago

Indian Railways set to come up with revised flexi-fare scheme next month

India TV News  

The railways is all set to come up with a revised flexi-fare scheme next month to bring in some relief for passengers, who, in some sectors pay as much as airfares for the premium trains, sources said. They said the ministry is planning to suspend the scheme temporarily as an experiment during lean months in some identified trains as they …

After cooking gas, govt now wants people to give up subsidy on rail fares: report
7 years, 8 months ago

After cooking gas, govt now wants people to give up subsidy on rail fares: report

India TV News  

After the ‘Give-It-Up’ campaign on cooking gas subsidy gaining immense success, the government is now planning launch a similar plan for rail fares, under which passengers will have the option of forgoing the subsidy on tickets, says a Times of India report. The report cited a source saying that to begin with, the national transporter will offer two slabs to …

Railways' new scheme: You may get to travel Rajdhani, Shatabdi at ordinary express fare from April
8 years ago

Railways' new scheme: You may get to travel Rajdhani, Shatabdi at ordinary express fare from April

Firstpost  

Named ‘Vikalp’ or alternative, the scheme aims to utilise vacant berths in many premier trains including Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto and other special ones such as Suvidha trains in all major routes. New Delhi: Starting next month, passengers may be able to travel in premier Rajdhani or Shatabdi trains even if they have booked tickets in the ordinary Mail or Express …

Lessons from Kanpur train crash: Here’s how the railways can reinvent itself
8 years, 3 months ago

Lessons from Kanpur train crash: Here’s how the railways can reinvent itself

Hindustan Times  

The recent rail disaster in Kanpur is another grim reminder that the Indian Railways is in dire need of a serious overhaul. Read: To battle fund crunch, Indian Railways may link fares to inflation Deaths on the tracks due to negligence are unacceptable. At the same time, LHB design coaches should also be upgraded to have jerk free couplers, automatic …

Railways flexi-fare policy rests on naive and unclear assumptions
8 years, 6 months ago

Railways flexi-fare policy rests on naive and unclear assumptions

Live Mint  

The ministry of railways has introduced a new pricing mechanism for the three premium trains—Rajdhani Express, Shatabdi Express and Duronto, numbering 142 in total, plying across India with a combined daily passenger load of about 1,50,000. As per the new pricing scheme, which has come into effect from 9 September, fares for these trains are set to rise by a …

Surge pricing for premium trains is a welcome move
8 years, 6 months ago

Surge pricing for premium trains is a welcome move

ABP News  

The usual suspects are raising a predictable hue and cry against the Indian Railways surge pricing formula. It is restricted, for now, to its premium fast trains like Duronto, Rajdhani and Shatabdi, used by the burgeoning middle class. Indian Railway officials are confident it will work through the year, because the premium ‘fast’ trains, still very few in number, are …

'Surge pricing is looting the user': Indian Railways' latest move slammed on Twitter
8 years, 6 months ago

'Surge pricing is looting the user': Indian Railways' latest move slammed on Twitter

Firstpost  

Passengers travelling by Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto trains will have to shell out between 10 and 50 percent more under a dynamic surge pricing system to be introduced from 9 September, aimed at raking in Rs 500 crore more during the current financial year. Unbundling premium & non-premium trains into separate corps — Ashok Malik September 8, 2016 Surge pricing …

Why the Indian Railways’ dynamic pricing system is a step in the right direction
8 years, 6 months ago

Why the Indian Railways’ dynamic pricing system is a step in the right direction

Hindustan Times  

The government’s decision to introduce a dynamic pricing system on Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto trains is a step in the right direction. The announcement – under which base fares will jump by 10% for every 10% berths sold in AC-II and AC-III compartments on these trains, with a cap of 50% hike on the original fare -- seeks to address …

Congress terms railways' surge pricing 'anti-people', 'illegal' move for 'stealing' money from public
8 years, 6 months ago

Congress terms railways' surge pricing 'anti-people', 'illegal' move for 'stealing' money from public

Firstpost  

Passengers travelling by Rajdhani, Shatadbi and Duronto trains will have to shell out between 10 and 50 per cent more under a dynamic surge pricing system New Delhi: The surge pricing strategy by the Indian Railways for premium trains is fast turning out to be a political hot potato with various opposition parties attacking the government over the move. The …

Railway Budget 2016: Prabhu should open the door to private investors to get Railways back on track
9 years, 1 month ago

Railway Budget 2016: Prabhu should open the door to private investors to get Railways back on track

Firstpost  

While Prabhu has boldly stated that the operating ratio at the end of 2016-17 shall be 92%, everyone agrees that it is impossible By Sanjeeva Shivesh The second Railway Budget of Suresh Prabhu was eagerly expected, primarily due to the fact that his first budget was high on promise and by January 2016, we knew that the financial health of …

Ticket fare hike and more: What's in store in Suresh Prabhu's rail budget?
9 years, 1 month ago

Ticket fare hike and more: What's in store in Suresh Prabhu's rail budget?

India TV News  

New Delhi: The one question troubling most Indian minds a day ahead of the Railway Budget is whether Suresh Prabhu will opt for an increase in ticket fares or will he decide against it. While the answer to this question will only be clear when Prabhu rises to present his second rail budget tomorrow, the dilemma that the cash-strapped railways …

Indian Railways increase Tatkal ticket charges
9 years, 3 months ago

Indian Railways increase Tatkal ticket charges

India TV News  

New Delhi: The Ministry of Railways on Wednesday decided to hike the Tatkal ticket charges, aiming to improve passenger revenue collections. According to Indian Railways notification, passengers travelling in Sleeper Class will now have to pay maximum of Rs 200 instead of Rs 175 and minimum of Rs 90 instead to Rs 100 under the revised Tatkal scheme. In AC-2, …

To ease pressure Railways decides to stagger tatkal booking-IndiaTV News – India TV
9 years, 9 months ago

To ease pressure Railways decides to stagger tatkal booking-IndiaTV News – India TV

India TV News  

New Delhi: To ease pressure, Railways has decided to stagger booking of tatkal tickets by allowing reservations in AC class from 10 am to 11 am and non-AC class from 11 am. The Railways is also toying with the idea of giving refund on cancellation of confirmed tatkal tickets, the percentage of which would be calculated based on a time …

Railways to soon launch Tatkal special trains to cash in on rush- India TV News
9 years, 10 months ago

Railways to soon launch Tatkal special trains to cash in on rush- India TV News

India TV News  

New Delhi: Looking to cash in on the rush for tickets during busy seasons, Railways will soon launch its ‘Tatkal Special' train service, travelling on which will be dearer than on normal trains. While ‘Premium' trains—tickets for which are priced as per a dynamic fare structure—are already operational, the Tatkal Special trains will be an additional service to cater to …

Rail Budget 2015 Prabhu promises modern rail network with no fare hike | IndiaTV News
10 years, 1 month ago

Rail Budget 2015 Prabhu promises modern rail network with no fare hike | IndiaTV News

India TV News  

New Delhi: Without tinkering with passenger fares, Minister Suresh Prabhu presented his maiden budget for Indian Railways in the Lok Sabha Thursday, promising to balance passenger needs and long-term interests of the organisation and benchmark it globally on quality, safety and reach. Emphasising that safety, quality of service, standards and efficiency all suffered due to poor financial resources available with …

Rail Budget 2015: Prabhu makes sensible promises, but can he turn Railways around?
10 years, 1 month ago

Rail Budget 2015: Prabhu makes sensible promises, but can he turn Railways around?

Firstpost  

The Railway Minister has set a precedent by not announcing any new trains or appeasing political constituencies and it’s a far departure from the populist budgets of Lalu Prasad Yadav or Mamata Banerjee. In an interview later he said that the Railways will raise funds directly from sovereign wealth funds or pension funds who are willing to lend for a …

NDA may not cut rail fares in Rail Budget 2015 - IndiaTV News
10 years, 1 month ago

NDA may not cut rail fares in Rail Budget 2015 - IndiaTV News

India TV News  

New Delhi: Ahead of presentation of the Railway Budget in Parliament next week, government today ruled out the possibility of reducing train fares, saying they were "already low". Mr Sinha said the requirement of the ministry was more and resources were limited, therefore rail budget would be balanced and public interest will be kept in mind. He also said a …

Rail passenger fares likely to go up early next year
10 years, 3 months ago

Rail passenger fares likely to go up early next year

India TV News  

New Delhi: The next Rail Budget to be presented early next year could contain a proposal for raising fares to pass on the burden of rising power cost to passengers. The fuel adjustment component-linked tariff revision due in December will be effected in the Rail Budget in February and there is a need for upward revision as energy cost has …

Govt mulls pvt role in rly, scrapping of fare subsidy
10 years, 4 months ago

Govt mulls pvt role in rly, scrapping of fare subsidy

Hindustan Times  

Scrapping the railway board, merging the rail budget with the main budget and withdrawing the passenger fare subsidy are among the radical reform proposals the government is considering, official sources said. HT Image Railways minister DV Sadananda Gowda is also contemplating a role for private stakeholders in policy-making and lateral entry for IAS officers into the top rail hierarchy to …

Railway minister lists four new ways to mobilise resources
10 years, 8 months ago

Railway minister lists four new ways to mobilise resources

India TV News  

New Delhi: Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda Tuesday listed four new ways to mobilise resources to upgrade and expand projects in his maiden budget. According to Gowda, the cash-strapped railways will mobilise resources for infrastructure creation and upgradation through the funds of the railways' state-run public sector companies.The minister further said that large private investments, including foreign funds, will be …

Railway minister lists four new ways to mobilize resources
10 years, 8 months ago

Railway minister lists four new ways to mobilize resources

India TV News  

New Delhi: Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda Tuesday listed four new ways to mobilise resources to upgrade and expand projects in his maiden budget. According to Gowda, the cash-strapped railways will mobilise resources for infrastructure creation and upgradation through the funds of the railways' state-run public sector companies.The minister further said that large private investments, including foreign funds, will be …

Rail Budget 2014: 72 new trains to be introduced, no change in fares
11 years, 1 month ago

Rail Budget 2014: 72 new trains to be introduced, no change in fares

India TV News  

New Delhi: Presenting the Interim Rail Budget 2014 in Parliament on Wednesday, Union Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge announced that 17 new premium trains and 38 express trains would be introduced. The Railway Minister has however kept both the passenger as well as the freight fares unchanged.Rail Budget 2014 Highlights:Passenger fares to remain unchangedLeaves freight fares unchangedRecieved several suggestions for new …

Rail Budget 2014 Live: No fare hike, 17 new premium trains
11 years, 1 month ago

Rail Budget 2014 Live: No fare hike, 17 new premium trains

Firstpost  

Here’s the latest about Rail Budget and how it could impact Indian rail travellers. Here are some of them: - Passenger fares to remain unchanged - Freight rates have also been left untouched - The Railway Minister has also announced that there will be 17 new premium trains and 38 passenger trains - Indian Rail Finance Corporation to raise Rs …

Standard gauge
12 years, 1 month ago

Standard gauge

The Hindu  

Except for the fact that it was after 17 long years that a Congress minister got to present the Railway budget, there was nothing particularly unique about >Pawan Kumar Bansal’s maiden essay. This is likely to result in a 5 per cent rise in freight rates from April 1, with the promise of a half-yearly fuel price adjustment system to …

Rail Budget 2013: What the aam aadmi has to say
12 years, 1 month ago

Rail Budget 2013: What the aam aadmi has to say

Firstpost  

Rail fares should have been hiked for the development of the county. It was not hiked because elections are due next year, says the common man With no fare hikes, 106 new trains and a host of proposals for travel safety and comfort, such as escalators at key stations, a new e-ticketing system and a swanky coach in select trains, …

Your rail ticket might get more expensive, thanks to diesel hike
12 years, 1 month ago

Your rail ticket might get more expensive, thanks to diesel hike

Firstpost  

With the recent hike in diesel prices putting an additional burden of Rs 3,300 crore on Railways, the PSU behemoth is considering to further increase passenger fares or raise freight charges. New Delhi: With the recent hike in diesel prices putting an additional burden of Rs 3,300 crore on Railways, the PSU behemoth is considering to further increase passenger fares …

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