Pakistan Railways announces hike in train fares

LAHORE: Pakistan Railways has announced a fare hike for all trains, with effect from Friday, July 19. ARY News reported.

PR notification issued here on Thursday stated that fares would be increased by one percent for all mail, express, intercity, and passenger trains, including outsourced services.

This adjustment was being implemented under the rationale of fare rationalization. The fare for all freight and goods trains would see a two percent increase. All stations, booking offices, reservation offices, and relevant staff had been informed in this regard.

On June 11, Pakistan Railways slashed train fares by 25 percent to facilitate passengers during Eidul Adha 2024 festivities.

Pakistan Railways announced a reduction in fares for three days of Eidul Adha 2024, which was applicable on all passenger trains except for Eid special trains.

Back in May 2024, Pakistan Railways announced reduction in train fares across various classes.

The economy class fares of some trains had been reduced up to 54% while the air-conditioned class fares were reduced by 40%.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan Railways collected an amount of over Rs 76 million from ticket-less passengers in a crackdown during the last six months with the help of railway police and train staffers.

“Around 59,143 passengers found travelling without tickets in different trains and collected the said amount from them, which is deposited in the official bank account of the department,” sources in the Ministry told APP.

They said that it was not the first time that action was taken on a large scale against ticket-less passengers, adding that these types of crackdowns had taken place daily.

The sources said that ticketless travelling was illegal, and those who were caught without a ticket were charged a ticket price for the whole journey of the train besides the penalty. Those who do not pay are handed over to the railway police.