Rail Fares Jump: Mail-Express Tickets Costlier from Dec 26

• Indian Railways increases fares for AC and non-AC Mail and Express trains, effective December 26.
• Fare hike is 2 paise per kilometer for Mail/Express and AC classes; 1 paisa/km for ordinary class travel exceeding 215 km.
• Suburban railway services, Monthly Season Tickets (MST), and ordinary travel up to 215 km are exempt from the hike.
• This is the second fare revision in the current financial year, aiming to generate an additional 600 crore rupees.
• The hike addresses rising operational costs, manpower expenses (1.15 lakh crore), and pension liabilities (60 thousand crore).

Why It Matters: Indian Railways raises Mail/Express and AC fares from Dec 26 to cover rising costs, exempting suburban and short-distance travel.