Indian Railways doubles fine for ticketless travel from today; here’s what train passengers must know

4 min readUpdated: Jun 20, 2026 11:39 AM IST

Indian Railways ticketless travel fine: Indian Railways has increased the penalty for passengers travelling without a valid train ticket. The move aims to curb unauthorised, ticketless travel and ensure smooth rail operations. The national transporter has repeatedly urged passengers to purchase valid tickets before travelling by train. In May, the Central Railway zone has collected Rs 40.85 crore from 4.96 lakh ticketless travellers.

Indian Railways doubles ticketless travel fine

In a statement, the national transporter announced that under the provisions of the Jan Vishwas Act, 2026, the minimum penalty under Sections 137 and 138 of the Railway Act, 1989, has been increased to Rs 500 with effect from June 20, 2026.

“As per the provisions of the Jan Vishwas Act, 2026, the minimum penalty under Sections 137 & 138 of the Railway Act, 1989 has been increased from Rs 250 to Rs 500 with effect from 20 June 2026. Passengers are requested to travel with a valid ticket and follow railway rules to avoid penalties,” it said.

In a gazette notification issued on June 19, the Ministry of Railways stated: “In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section 1 of the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026 (8 of 2026), the Central Government hereby appoints the date of publication of this notification as the date on which the provisions of the said Act, in so far as it relates to serial number 52…the Railways Act, 1989 (24 of 1989) respectively, shall come into force.”

What happens if you travel without a train ticket

According to the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026, serial number 52, for section 137, the following section shall be substituted, namely:

“137. Fraudulently travelling or attempting to travel without proper pass or ticket.— (1) If any person, with intent to defraud a railway administration,—

(a) enters or remains in any carriage on a railway or travels in a train in contravention of section 55; or

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(b) uses or attempts to use a single pass or a single ticket which has already been used on a previous journey, or in the case of a return ticket, a half thereof which has already been so used,

he shall be liable to pay the fare for the distance which he has travelled, or where there is any doubt as to the station from which he started, the fare from the station from which the train originally started, or if the tickets of passengers travelling in the train have been examined since the original starting of the train, the fare from the place where the tickets were so examined or, in case of their having been examined more than once, were last examined:

Provided that he shall also pay the excess charges equal to the due charges mentioned herein, subject to a minimum of five hundred rupees or the charges notified by the Central Government

(2) If any passenger liable to pay the excess charge and the fare mentioned in sub-section (1), fails or refuses to pay the same on a demand being made under this section, the authorised railway servant may apply to the competent court, for the recovery of the sum payable, and the court if satisfied that the sum is payable shall order it to be so recovered, and may order that the person liable for the payment shall in default of payment be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both.”

⚠️ What Counts as an Offence  Section 137(1)

🚫

Entering or remaining in a railway carriage, or travelling in a train, without proper authorisation under Section 55

🎫

Reusing a ticket or pass already used on a previous journey — including one half of an already-used return ticket

🔍

Applies only when there is intent to defraud the railway administration

💰 What You'll Have to Pay  Section 137(1) Proviso

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Fare for distance travelled — or from the originating station if the boarding point is unclear

🎟️

If tickets were checked en route, fare is calculated from the last point of ticket examination

Fare + Excess

Excess charge equal to the fare due

₹500

Minimum excess charge (or as notified by Central Govt.)

⚖️ If You Don't Pay  Section 137(2)

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Railway authorities can approach the competent court to recover the unpaid amount

⛓️

Default in payment may attract imprisonment up to 6 months, or fine up to ₹500, or both

Source: Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026 — Serial No. 52, substituting Section 137

Anish Mondal is a journalist with over nine years of experience covering the railways and roadways. Currently a member of the Indianexpress.com editorial team, Anish specializes in high-impact sectors.

Professional Journey

Anish began his career at the public broadcaster Rajya Sabha Television (now Sansad TV), where he developed a foundational understanding of legislative processes and national governance. In 2018, he transitioned to digital financial journalism at FinancialExpress.com, spending nearly six years refining his expertise in market trends and corporate reporting. Before joining The Indian Express in 2025, he served as a key contributor at ETNowNews.com.

Education & Expertise

Anish’s reporting is backed by a rigorous academic background in communication and the humanities:

Master of Journalism and Mass Communication (MJMC) – Apeejay Stya University

Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Production (PGTVRJP) – Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication

Bachelor of Arts (English Honours) – University of Calcutta

Areas of Coverage

Connectivity: Detailed reporting on the expansion of Indian Railways and National Highway networks. ... Read More

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