Train tickets, freight costlier from today

Travelling in trains is set to become costlier from today as the increase in reservation fee and superfast charges announced in the Rail Budget come into effect from April 1.

Besides the increase in passenger fares, freight rate for all commodities will also go up by about 5.7 per cent on Monday. The railways expect to earn Rs 42,210 crore from passenger traffic and Rs 93,554 crore from goods transportation in 2013-14.

While the cash-strapped railways is expected to mop up about Rs 880 crore annually from the latest increase in service charges on train tickets, the freight rate revision will fetch Rs 4,200 crore for the national transporter in the 2013-14 financial year.

Reservation fee for second and sleeper class has not been revised while AC classes will be dearer by Rs 15 to Rs 25 a ticket. Superfast charges have been raised by Rs 10 for sleeper and second class. For AC, the increase is between Rs 15 and Rs 25.

Tatkal fee has been increased by 10 per cent of the basic fare for second class and 30 per cent for AC classes. Cancellation charges have been increased by Rs 10 to Rs 50 a ticket for confirmed tickets. Clerkage charge for cancellation of waiting list and RAC tickets will be raised by Rs 5 for sleeper class and Rs 10 for AC class.

Cancellation and clerkage charges have been hiked to deter touts from booking bulk tickets in advance, a senior Railway Ministry official said.

Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal had effected the hike in the basic passenger fare by 21 per cent before the Rail Budget in January 22, this year. The hike in passenger fare was announced after 10 years as successive railway ministers during that period were not in favour of increasing fares. The cost of fuel and energy went up many times during that period and it was essential to hike the fares, said the official.