Central Railway to run 76 special trains for Christmas, New Year

Speaking to ANI, CPRO Swapnil Nila said, "The Central Railway has scheduled 76 special trains for Christmas and New Year. These include trains from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus to Karmani. Additionally, 8 special trains are operating from Lokmanya Tilak Terminus to Thiruvananthapuram, and another 8 from Lokmanya Tilak Terminus to Mangalore."

He added, "Furthermore, 6 services are planned from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus to Nagpur, along with 6 from Pune to Nagpur. We have also planned 4 special suburban trains, keeping in mind the needs of passengers on the 31st night."

Swapnil Nila urged passengers to book tickets in advance and follow safety protocols while travelling during the holiday season.

The railways have also enhanced operational measures to ensure smooth movement and manage peak traffic efficiently.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Railways on Sunday announced a rationalisation of passenger fares, with a revised fare structure set to take effect from December 26, aimed at balancing rising operational costs while minimising the impact on passengers.

According to the Railways, there will be no increase in fares for suburban services and Monthly Season Ticket (MST) holders, providing relief to daily commuters. Similarly, ordinary-class passengers travelling up to 215 kilometres will not see any fare increase.

For journeys beyond 215 kilometres in ordinary class, fares will increase by one paise per kilometre. In the Mail and Express non-AC categories, the fare hike is two paise per kilometre, while AC classes will also see a uniform two paise per kilometre increase.

The Ministry clarified that the increase would have a limited financial impact on passengers. For instance, a 500-kilometre non-AC journey will cost only Rs 10 extra under the revised structure. The rationalisation is expected to generate an additional Rs 600 crore in revenue. (ANI)