Staggering Rs.10,000 railways ticket sparks outrage Over Premium Tatkal Pricing
Railways plan to connect Nashik and Dahanu via Trimbakeshwar - Final Location survey for new rail line sanctioned ( Representational Image )
An Indian Railways ticket priced at over ₹10,000 has sparked outrage online, leaving many stunned by the steep fare. A Reddit post, now going viral, reveals that booking a premium tatkal ticket on the SMVB Howrah Express from Bengaluru to Kolkata on August 9 would have cost ₹10,100. Typically, tickets on this route are priced around ₹2,900, making the exorbitant price even more shocking.
The Reddit user who shared the screenshot expressed disbelief, questioning who would pay such an amount for a regular superfast train journey between two major metro cities. “Honestly, I don’t understand who’d be willing to pay 10k+ for a 2A ticket when a regular 2A ticket is priced at 2.9k,” the user wrote.
Indian Railways introduced the premium tatkal category, which operates on a dynamic pricing model. Unlike standard tatkal tickets with fixed prices, premium tatkal fares increase with demand, a feature that has not been well-received by many passengers.
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In the comments section, Reddit users were largely critical of the dynamic pricing feature. One user remarked, “That’s premium tatkal for you. Honestly, it’s pointless—just allocate these seats to Tatkal or the general quota. Such high tatkal and dynamic charges don’t make sense.”
Adding to the debate, RedZone2003 commented, “Yeah no one, those seats 100% go empty. Also, I don’t understand how there are only 15-20 sleeper seats available even 120 days before train departure time. There is no way the whole train gets filled the day ticket booking starts. Do they hold the seats? If yes, then why?”
Another user highlighted the situation, explaining, “They actually do. When no berths are available and premium tatkal is the only option, there are enough people whose travel is absolutely inevitable, forcing them to book in this tier out of sheer desperation. Especially in areas with poor air connectivity. Lots of agents book in PT as well and then try to make more profit that way.”
The general sentiment on the thread reflected widespread frustration with the premium tatkal system, particularly its impact on travelers who have no other choice but to pay the high prices.
