Relief for Commuters as Indian Railways Slashes Ticket Prices Of MEMU/DEMU Trains to Pre-COVID Levels
Central Railway to run Pune- Danapur One-way Special train
In a major relief for railway passengers, the Indian Railways has announced a significant reduction in ticket prices, bringing them back to pre-COVID levels. The move, effective ”February 27” aims to alleviate financial burdens on daily commuters, with prices for passenger trains dropping by an impressive 40-50%. Previously, passengers were required to pay express fares for these journeys.
The railway authorities have reinstated Second Class Ordinary Fares for ‘Passenger Trains,’ now termed ‘Express Specials’ or ‘MEMU/DEMU Express’ Trains. This decision follows the discontinuation of ‘Passenger Trains’ during the COVID-19 lockdown, which led to a minimum ticket price hike from Rs 10 to Rs 30, aligning it with Express Train fares. The reversal was communicated to Chief Booking Reservation Supervisors, becoming effective from Tuesday morning.
Ordinary Class fares on Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) trains and those with numbers starting with ‘Zero’ have witnessed a remarkable 50% reduction. Furthermore, changes have been implemented in the Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) App to reflect the revised fare structure. This fare cut is applicable to all trains previously categorized as Passenger Trains, now operating as ‘Express Special’ or MEMU trains across the country.
Shivnath Biyani, a member of the Central Railway Passenger Advisory Committee, highlighted that ticket prices to various destinations have been slashed to half of their previous rates, a change that took effect on Thursday.
The increase in rail ticket fares was implemented four years ago in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the temporary cancellation of Passenger Trains to prevent overcrowding. Upon their reintroduction, passengers were burdened with express fare charges for their travels. Biyani noted that consistent demands from representatives and passenger associations have finally resulted in this welcomed reduction in prices.
