Railways may hike AC, first-class fares in express trains Tuesday Sep 24,2013

In the wake of increase in diesel prices, the Railway Ministry is planning to raise fares of AC and first-class travel in express and special trains, Minister for Railways M. Mallikarjun Kharge said on Tuesday. 

About Rs. 7,000 crore to Rs. 8,000 crore is spent on fuel and maintenance of trains per year. There has been significant increase in the fuel bill due to the rise in diesel prices

“The rise in fuel prices is a challenge for us. Budgetary support from the Union government has reduced, while the cost of routine operations has escalated. The number of projects we need to take up is rising. This is why we are exploring the option of increasing fares of express and special trains,”said Minister for Railways M. Mallikarjun Kharge

Passenger fares (second class), however, will not be touched