Indian Railways will cut AC chair car and executive class fares by up to 25 percent in all trains running across India, including Vande Bharat Express trains, a Railway Board order said. The move will provide benefits to passengers traveling in trains like Vande Bharat Express, Shatabdi Express, Anubhuti and Vistadome coaches, depending on the occupancy. The Railway Board said the fare will also depend on competing modes of transport. This scheme will not be applicable to special trains started as holiday or festival specials.
According to a report in IANS, with a view to optimize accommodation utilisation, the Ministry of Railways has decided to delegate powers to the principal chief commercial managers of railway zones to introduce concessional fare schemes in trains with AC seats. “The scheme will be applicable in AC chair car and executive class of all trains having AC seating facility including Anubhuti and Vistadome coaches,” the Railway Board order said.
“The element of discount will be up to a maximum of 25 per cent on the basic fare. Other charges like reservation fee, super fast surcharge, GST etc. will be levied separately. The discount can be provided in any or all of the classes depending on the occupancy,” it said. Said.
The order also states that trains in which classes with less than 50 per cent occupancy during the last 30 days (either end-to-end or in certain specified legs/sections, depending on the classes where the relaxation is to be provided) ) will be included. think thought.”
Exemption may be given for the first and/or last leg of the journey and/or intermediate segments and/or end-to-end travel, provided the occupancy in that leg/section/end-to-end is less than 50 per cent. , It added, “The relaxation will be implemented with immediate effect. However, refund of fare will not be admissible for already booked passengers.”
In case of trains where flexi fare is applicable in a particular class and the occupancy is poor, the scheme may be withdrawn initially as a measure to increase occupancy.