In a move aimed at alleviating the financial burden on daily commuters, Indian Railways has announced a significant reduction in ticket prices for passenger trains, effectively bringing them back to pre-pandemic levels. The decision, effective from February 27, sees a reduction of approximately 40-50 percent in ticket prices, restoring ordinary second class fare for 'passenger trains,' now termed as 'Express Special' or 'MEMU/DEMU Express' trains.
Passenger train services were temporarily halted during the COVID-19 pandemic and later reintroduced with a minimum ticket price hike from Rs 10 to Rs 30, aligning them with express train fares. However, the recent announcement by Indian Railways marks a reversal of this decision, providing much-needed relief to daily passengers by reverting to the previous fare structure.