- Railways raised minimum penalty for ticketless travel from Rs 250 to Rs 500
- New penalty effective from June 20, 2026, under Jan Vishwas Act provisions
- Penalty applies for invalid, used, or no tickets under Railway Act Sections 137 and 138
The Railways has increased the minimum penalty for passengers travelling without a valid ticket from Rs 250 to Rs 500. The revised penalty came into effect on June 20, 2026, under the provisions of the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026.
According to a public notice issued by Western Railway, the higher penalty applies under Sections 137 and 138 of the Railway Act, 1989. The provisions cover cases of ticketless travel as well as travelling with a used, invalid, or improper ticket.
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"Passengers are requested to travel with a valid ticket and follow railway rules to avoid penalties. Your cooperation helps ensure a safe, smooth, and lawful journey for all," the X post read.
Railway authorities said passengers caught without a valid ticket will have to pay the actual fare along with an excess charge. The minimum excess charge has now been fixed at Rs 500. The notice also warns that failure to pay the penalty may result in legal action.
Offenders could face court proceedings and imprisonment of up to six months, as provided under the Railway Act.
Section 137 of the Railway Act deals with people who deliberately try to travel without a valid ticket or misuse a ticket to avoid paying the correct fare. A person can be penalised if they intentionally try to cheat the railways by travelling without a valid ticket, reusing an old ticket, or travelling on an invalid ticket.
If railway staff cannot determine where the passenger boarded the train, they may charge the fare from the station where the train originally started its journey or from the last station where ticket checking took place.
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The Central Railway collected Rs 40.85 crore in penalties and fares from passengers travelling without valid tickets in May. During the month, railway ticket-checking staff caught around 4.96 lakh ticketless travellers across the Central Railway network.
