Railways changes rule: Travelling without a ticket will prove costly; the penalty is now ₹500 instead of ₹250..

There is very important news for passengers traveling by Indian Railways. The Railways have toughened its stance against passengers traveling without tickets or violating rules. Under this move, the minimum penalty for traveling without a ticket or traveling beyond the distance specified on the ticket has been raised from ₹250 to ₹500. This new rule came into effect on June 20, 2026.

The East Coast Railway shared this information on the social media platform X. According to the Railways, if a passenger travels without a valid ticket or travels beyond the distance specified on the ticket, they will now have to pay the fare, an excess charge, and a minimum penalty of ₹500. Previously, the minimum penalty in such cases was ₹250; effectively, those traveling without a ticket will now have to pay a higher penalty than before.

What rules have changed, and what haven't?
According to the information provided by the Railways, the minimum penalty for traveling without a valid ticket or pass under Section 137 has been increased from ₹250 to ₹500. However, there has been no change to the maximum punishment under this section. As before, the provision for imprisonment of up to six months, a fine of up to ₹1,000, or both, remains applicable upon conviction. Similarly, under Section 138, the minimum excess charge for traveling without a ticket or beyond the specified distance has also been raised from ₹250 to ₹500. However, there is no change to the rule regarding the recovery of the fare for the additional distance traveled.

Railways' appeal to passengers
The Railways has appealed to passengers to always travel with a correct and valid ticket. In its message, the Railways urged passengers to be responsible citizens and always travel with a valid ticket to avoid unnecessary penalties and legal action.

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