Title - FAC-linked train passenger fares from today

Rail passengers will have to pay more for tickets from Monday with Railways implementing the biannual Fuel Adjustment Component (FAC)-linked revision in passenger fare and freight tariff.

While the proposal mooted in the Railway Budget 2013-14 was implemented in the case of freight tariff from April this year, passenger fares were kept out of the purview of the FAC-linked revision on the ground that the fares had been revised upward after a decade on January 22.

In the case of passenger fares, there will be no increase in either second class ordinary (suburban) or second class monthly season ticket fare. The fare for second class ordinary (non-suburban) will go up by a maximum of Rs.5 in select distance slabs, while in other distance slabs there will be no change in the fare.

In all other classes, the revised fare will be only about 2 per cent higher than the existing fare. With the exercise, Railways anticipate an incremental earning of around Rs.450 crore in the remaining six months of the fiscal.

The fares will be same in case of all distances within that distance slab. The fare for minimum distance of 200 km in Sleeper Class will not be applicable in case of Sleeper coaches declared as unreserved coaches by zonal Railways on notified trains and in specified sections. In such cases, actual fares will be levied/charged from the passengers.

Notified

Railways have notified the basic fares. All other miscellaneous charges such as reservation fee, superfast charge, catering charge, and service tax, wherever applicable, will be levied additionally. Chargeable fares, as obtained after adding miscellaneous charges to basic fare, will be rounded off to the next higher multiple of Rs.5.

With effect from Monday, quarterly season ticket fares will be 2.7 times the monthly season ticket fare. Season tickets beyond 150 km will be issued only for sections where this facility was enjoyed prior to April 1951.

Railways have also notified lean seasons as the period from February 1 to March 31 and August 1 to August 31. The peak season period will be from April 1 to July 31 and from September 1 to January 31.

In the “popular” trains’ segment, the peak period fares shall be applicable throughout the year in case of journeys undertaken in air-conditioned First and air-conditioned 2-tier classes.

Children under five years of age will be provided food in Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto Express trains without any charge, as per a railway circular issued to ticketing staff.

Bed-rolls will be supplied free to passengers in air-conditioned First Class, air-conditioned 2-tier and air-conditioned 3-tier classes on all trains, except Garib Rath Express. Those needing bed-rolls on Garib Rath Express trains and in sleeper class of Mixed Duronto Express trains will have to pay stipulated charges.