1.8 Million Ticketless Passengers Caught; Railways Collects ₹140 Crore in Fines

Central Railway collected ₹140.81 crore in penalties from passengers traveling without tickets or with invalid tickets between April and August 2026. This figure represents an increase of over 40 percent compared to the previous year.

The results of the Railways’ stricter stance against ticketless travel are evident. Central Railway has witnessed a 40 percent rise in penalty revenue collected from ticketless passengers. Indian Railways has adopted a tough approach towards those traveling without tickets, doubling the penalty amount from ₹250 to ₹500.

Central Railway collected ₹140.81 crore in fines during the April–August 2026 period, whereas it had collected ₹100.50 crore during the same period in 2025.

According to a Times of India report, Central Railway collected ₹140.81 crore in penalties from passengers traveling without tickets or with invalid tickets between April and August 2026. These fines were collected from 18.03 lakh (1.8 million) passengers, marking a 40 percent increase over the penalty amount collected during the corresponding period the previous year.

₹100 Crore Collected Last Year

During the April–August period of 2025, the Railways had collected ₹100.50 crore. A key factor behind this increase is the revised railway rule requiring ticketless travelers to pay a penalty of ₹500 instead of ₹250.

Looking at the penalty collection on a year-on-year basis, Central Railway raised ₹19.5 crore in August alone—a 41 percent increase compared to August 2025. It is noteworthy that the number of passengers traveling without tickets dropped from 2.76 lakh to 2.57 lakh. In other words, while the number of ticketless travelers decreased, Central Railway’s total penalty collection increased.

Mumbai Division led in penalty collections

The Mumbai Division topped the list in terms of penalty amounts collected, contributing the largest share to the total fines imposed on passengers.

Mumbai Division collected ₹58.46 crore from 8.80 lakh cases.
Bhusawal Division collected ₹35.52 crore from 3.42 lakh cases.
Pune Division collected ₹16.29 crore from 1.86 lakh cases.
Nagpur Division collected ₹15.83 crore from 2.11 lakh cases.
Solapur Division collected ₹6.13 crore from 95,000 cases of ticketless travel.

What Central Railway said

Swapnil Nila, a spokesperson for Central Railway, told The Times of India that the number of train passengers is expected to rise due to the upcoming festive season. Consequently, officials have been instructed to conduct thorough checks and apprehend ticketless travelers at railway stations and on trains. He further stated that Central Railway has ordered intensified checks across all categories of trains—including mail, express, passenger, special, and suburban services—within the Mumbai and Pune divisions. Railway police have been deployed at stations to facilitate rigorous inspections and ensure strict enforcement of regulations.

Railway’s appeal to passengers

Railway authorities have once again reminded passengers that traveling without a valid ticket is an offense under the Railways Act and can lead to legal action.