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
Answers
1-c 2-c 3-c 4-d 5-c 6-c 7-b 8-c 9-b 10-b 11-d 12-a 13-b 14-c 15-cKeep this sheet handy – revise numbers, opening hours, colours, and penalty amounts; these are the favourite factual traps in every RRB Operations & TC paper.
BETA
