Operations Ticket Types And Fares
Railway GK : Ticket Types & Fares
(For all RRB exams – NTPC, Group-D, JE, ALP, TC, Clerk)*
1. Broad Classification of Rail Tickets
| Sl. | Ticket Family | Sub-types (current in PRS & UTS) | Colour of Physical Stock* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reserved | • Ordinary Reserved ( sleeper, 2S ) • Reserved ( 1A, 2A, 3A, 3E, CC, EC, EA ) • Tatkal / Premium Tatkal • Suvidha, Vikalp, Anubhuti |
Pink (1A), Yellow (2A), Light-green (3A), White (SL), Orange (CC) etc. |
| 2 | Unreserved | • Second Class (II) • First Class (FC) – now almost phased out • MST / QST (Season tickets) • Platform ticket |
Buff |
| 3 | Suburban | • Journey ticket (single / return) • Smart card (R-Smart / ATVM) • Monthly / Quarterly Season Ticket (MST/QST) |
Light-blue |
| 4 | special Traffic | • Rajdhani / Shatabdi / Duronto / Vande Bharat • Tejas, Gatimaan, Humsafar, Antyodaya, Uday, Double-Decker |
Same as reserved but “Premium Fare” printed |
*UTS paper colour may vary with zonal printing press.
2. Reserved Travel Classes – Abbreviations & Berth/Seat Capacity
| Class | Code | Full Name | Max berths/seats per coach | Coach design code on train |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1A | H | AC First | 18 (2×9 coupe) / 24 (new) | H1, HA1 |
| 2A | A | AC 2-tier | 46 (bay 4+2) | A1, A2 … |
| 3A | B | AC 3-tier | 64 (bay 6+2) | B1, B2 … |
| 3E | E | AC 3-tier Economy | 83 (81 in Garib Rath) | M1, M2 … (Garib-Rath) |
| SL | S | Sleeper | 72 (73 in LHB) | S1, S2 … |
| 2S | D | Second Sitting (reserved) | 108 | D1, D2 … |
| CC | C | AC Chair Car | 78 (Shatabdi 75) | C1, C2 … |
| EC | E | Executive Chair Car | 56 (Vande Bharat 52) | E1, E2 … |
| EA | G | Anubhuti (premium CC) | 56 | EA1, EA2 … |
3. Fare Structure Basics (effective 01.04.2023)
3.1. Ordinary Mail/Express Reserved Fare components
- Base fare – per km slab (₹0.485 to ₹0.75 for SL; ₹1.95 for 1A)
- Reservation charge (₹): SL-20, 2S-15, 3A/2A-40, 1A-60
- Super-fast surcharge (₹) – if train ≥55 km/h avg: SL-45, 2S-15, 3A/2A/1A-75
- GST – 5 % on AC classes (1A, 2A, 3A, CC, EC, EA, 3E)
- Other levies – Safety surcharge (abolished 2016), Development fee (only at some stations, ₹10-50).
3.2. Platform Ticket
- ₹50/- (w.e.f. 01.04.2022) – valid 2 h; earlier ₹10 till 2019.
3.3. Penal Fares (important for TC papers)
- Without ticket / improper ticket – ₹250 + fare + difference of fare.
- Unauthorised travel in higher class – fare difference + ₹250 min.
- Excess luggage (above free allowance) – 6 times of normal luggage rate per kg.
- Child ≥5 & <12 yrs – half of adult fare (no berth) or full fare if berth sought.
4. Concessions & Quotas – Quick Recall Table
| Concession for | % on fare (base) | Eligibility / Docs |
|---|---|---|
| Senior Citizen M(60) F(58) | 40 % (M), 50 % (F) | Age proof |
| Divyangjan (≥40 % disability) | 25–75 %* | UDID / Medical cert. |
| Student (SC/ST category) | 75 % MST, 50 % ordinary | Bonafide certificate |
| Press correspondent | 50 % | PTO-accredited card |
| Award winning sportsperson | 25 % | Ministry certificate |
| Izzat MST (monthly season) | 50 % | BPL card, distance 0-150 km |
*Concession not allowed on Premium Tatkal, Suvidha, Vande Bharat dynamic fare slots.
5. Tatkal Scheme – Facts for MCQ
- Opening time: AC classes – 10:00 AM, Non-AC – 11:00 AM (1 day prior to DOJ, ex-originating).
- Minimum distance: 500 km (250 km for some Raj/Shatabdi).
- Maximum % premium over base fare: 1A-30 %, 2A-30 %, 3A-30 %, SL-30 %, CC-30 %.
- No concession (except senior citizen) & no refund on cancellation (unless train cancelled).
- Premium Tatkal (PT) – 30 % of Tatkal quota seats sold with dynamic pricing (like airline).
- Tatkal quota % of total accommodation – 10 % (SL), 20 % (AC classes) subject to minimum 2 berths.
6. Dynamic / Premium Fares
Rajdhani, Duronto, Shatabdi, Vande Bharat, Tejas, Humsafar, Gatimaan follow flexi-fare (not fully dynamic).
- Slabs: 10 % seats @ 1.0×, next 10 % @ 1.1× … up to 1.5× maximum (1A/EC capped at 1.4×).
- No concession (except Sr. Citizen 20 % on base after flexi), no break-journey, no change of boarding.
7. Suburban (EMU/MEMU) Fares – Unique Points
- Fare stage 0-5 km cheapest; every km slab thereafter.
- MST issued for calendar month (01-31) irrespective of purchase date.
- MST cost = 15 × single journey fare for II class; 25 × for I class (rounded to nearest ₹5).
- QST = 2.7 × MST cost.
- Smart card discount: 5 % on stored value (ATVM / R-Smart).
- Return journey ticket (UTS app) valid same day; distance ≤200 km.
8. Child & Infant Rules (asked every year)
| Age | Ticket needed | Fare | Seat/Berth |
|---|---|---|---|
| <5 yrs | No | 0 | NO; if berth desired pay full child fare |
| 5-11 yrs | YES | Half of adult base + charges | NO (unless full fare paid) |
| ≥12 yrs | YES | Full adult fare | YES |
9. Quick Reference Numbers
- Free allowance (kg) – 1A-70, 2A/3A/3E-50, SL/2S/CC-40, MST suburban-35.
- Minimum distance chargeable – 50 km (reserved) / 10 km (unreserved).
- Cancellation time – upto 4 h before dep for SL/2S; upto 12 h for Raj/Shatabdi.
- Clerkage charge – ₹60 per passenger (₹120 for 1A/EC) (w.e.f. 01.04.2023).
- Cancellation >4 h but <12 h – 25 % of fare (min ₹120).
- Wait-listed ticket automatic refund – if remains WL after final chart (no extra charge).
10. Previous-Year Exam Snippets (memory-based)
| Question | Correct option | | “Tatkal booking opens for AC class at” | 10 AM | | “Minimum chargeable distance for suburban single ticket” | 5 km | | “Colour of 1A reservation ticket” | Pink | | “Platform ticket validity period” | 2 hours | | “Dynamic fare ceiling for SL class” | 1.5× |
11. 15 MCQs – Ticket Types & Fares
(Choose the correct option; answers provided in
-
What is the present cost of a platform ticket in Indian Railways?
a) ₹20 b) ₹30 c) ₹50 d) ₹10 -
Which colour paper is generally used for first AC reserved tickets?
a) Yellow b) White c) Pink d) Green -
Tatkal booking for non-AC classes opens at
a) 08:00 b) 10:00 c) 11:00 d) 12:00 -
The maximum dynamic fare premium allowed in Sleeper class is
a) 1.2 b) 1.3 c) 1.4 d) 1.5 -
A child of 4 years travelling with parent needs
a) Full ticket b) Half ticket c) No ticket d) Platform ticket only -
Which of the following classes is NOT entitled to any concession under the Senior Citizen category?
a) 1A b) EC c) Premium Tatkal d) 3A -
The minimum distance for charging ordinary express reserved fare is
a) 10 km b) 50 km c) 100 km d) 200 km -
How many berths are there in a standard ICF AC 3-tier coach?
a) 46 b) 54 c) 64 d) 72 -
MST in second suburban class costs approximately
a) 10 × single fare b) 15 × single fare c) 30 × single fare d) equal to 30 day tickets -
Which of the following trains started dynamic (flexi) fare first?
a) Shatabdi b) Rajdhani c) Duronto d) Gatimaan -
Penalty for travelling without ticket includes a minimum charge of
a) ₹50 b) ₹100 c) ₹200 d) ₹250 -
Free luggage allowance in Sleeper class is
a) 40 kg b) 50 kg c) 70 kg d) 100 kg -
Wait-listed ticket becomes automatically refunded if status remains WL after
a) PRS closure b) Final chart preparation c) 30 min of dep d) 4 h of booking -
‘Anubhuti’ coach is denoted by which code?
a) A b) E c) EA d) G -
The super-fast surcharge for SL class is
a) ₹15 b) ₹30 c) ₹45 d) ₹75
Question:01 What is the correct option for Question:02 Which option is correct for Question 1?
A) a
B) b
C) c
D) d
Correct Answer: C Explanation: The provided answer key indicates that the correct choice for Question 1 is option “c”.Show Answer
A) a
B) b
C) c
D) d
Correct Answer: C Explanation: The provided answer key indicates that the correct choice for Question 2 is option “c”.Show Answer
A) a
B) b
C) c
D) d
Correct Answer: C Explanation: The provided answer key indicates that the correct choice for Question 3 is option “c”.Show Answer
A) a
B) b
C) c
D) d
Correct Answer: D Explanation: The provided answer key indicates that the correct choice for Question 4 is option “d”.Show Answer
A) a
B) b
C) c
D) d
Correct Answer: C Explanation: The provided answer key indicates that the correct choice for Question 5 is option “c”.Show Answer
A) a
B) b
C) c
D) d
Correct Answer: C Explanation: The provided answer key indicates that the correct choice for Question 6 is option “c”.Show Answer
A) a
B) b
C) c
D) d
Correct Answer: B Explanation: The provided answer key indicates that the correct choice for Question 7 is option “b”.Show Answer
A) a
B) b
C) c
D) d
Correct Answer: C Explanation: The provided answer key indicates that the correct choice for Question 8 is option “c”.Show Answer
A) a
B) b
C) c
D) d
Correct Answer: B Explanation: The provided answer key indicates that the correct choice for Question 9 is option “b”.Show Answer
A) a
B) b
C) c
D) d
Correct Answer: B Explanation: The provided answer key indicates that the correct choice for Question 10 is option “b”.Show Answer
A) To supply electric power to the overhead equipment
B) To allow trains to change from one track to another
C) To measure the axle load of rolling stock
D) To act as an emergency braking system for locomotives
Correct Answer: B Explanation: A Railway Point (Switch) is a mechanical installation that enables trains to be guided from one track to another at a junction, fulfilling the basic requirement of route diversion in rail networks.Show Answer
A) a
B) b
C) c
D) d
Correct Answer: A Explanation: The provided answer key indicates that the correct choice for Question 12 is option “a”.Show Answer
A) To cool the wheel tread during high-speed runs
B) To reduce friction and wear between wheel flange and rail
C) To increase adhesion during slippery conditions
D) To alert the driver of an overheated bearing
Correct Answer: B Explanation: A rail flange lubricator applies a controlled amount of lubricant to the gauge face of the rail, cutting friction and wear where the wheel flange contacts the rail, thereby extending rail and wheel life.Show Answer
A) a
B) b
C) c
D) d
Correct Answer: C Explanation: The provided answer key indicates that the correct choice for Question 14 is option “c”.Show Answer
A) ₹250
B) ₹500
C) ₹750
D) ₹1,000
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: As per the 2026 tariff circular, the penalty for ticket-less travel in Express trains is ₹750 plus the fare difference.
BETA
