Rail passengers alert! New railway fines are here and they're much higher

Payyanur: Indian Railways has started imposing significantly higher penalties for ticketless travel on trains under the provisions of the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026. Ticket examiners began collecting the revised fines from Saturday.

Under the new rules, the minimum penalty for travelling without a ticket has been increased from ₹250 to ₹500, resulting in a substantial rise in the total amount payable by offenders.

A passenger caught travelling without a ticket in a general coach on a mail or express train for a journey of up to 50 km will now have to pay a minimum of ₹570, up from ₹320 earlier.

Revised Penalties (Old fine in brackets):

• Smoking on trains or railway premises: ₹2,000 (₹200)

• Begging: ₹2,000 (previously lower penalty)

• Unauthorised entry into railway stations: Up to ₹5,000 (₹1,000)

• Entering reserved compartments earmarked for women passengers: ₹2,500 to ₹5,000 (₹500)

• Travelling under the influence of alcohol: ₹1,000 fine along with community service

Minimum ticketless travel penalties on Mail/Express trains