Vande Bharat AC chair car fares much lower than those in China, Japan, France: Vaishnaw

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a written statement in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, said that the travel fare of Vande Bharat AC chair car for 300-400 kilometers is around ₹2.19 per kilometre, which is much lower than the fares of similar services in countries such as China, Japan and France.

According to Mr. Vaishnaw, fares in these countries range from ₹7 to ₹20 per kilometer.

“The Ministry of Railways, while deciding the fare structure of various types of passenger services, takes due account of aspects such as cost of the service, value of the service, type of services and amenities offered, affordability, competition with other rival modes and socio-economic considerations,” Mr. Vaishnaw said while replying to questions on the fare structure of Vande Bharat trains.

He added that Vande Bharat services were launched in February 2019 and are currently operating with 164 train services on 82 routes.

Railway Minister informed that Vande Bharat trains operate as a separate passenger service segment with a specific fare structure and features such as improved suspension systems, faster acceleration with semi-high speed operations, automatic snap doors, ergonomic seats, mini pantry, CCTVs and KAVACH.

He said keeping affordability in mind, the fare structure of these trains is kept below the cost of service.

“The fare of the Vande Bharat AC chair car for a journey between 300 and 400 kilometers is around ₹2.19 per kilometer, which is much lower than the fares of similar service segments in countries like China, Japan and France, which range from ₹7 to ₹20 per kilometer,” Mr. Vaishnaw said.

He added: “The rationalized fare structure has facilitated wider expansion of these services across the country, reflecting strong passenger demand for these services. Vande Bharat services enjoy high occupancy levels on all major routes and Vande Bharat’s occupancy rate is close to 100 per cent, indicating a shift in passenger preferences.” Talking about regular class fares of other trains, Mr. Vaishnaw said these are among the lowest prices compared to other countries.

Comparing Indian Railways’ regular class fares with similar services in neighboring countries, Mr. Vaishnaw said the fare per kilometer in India is 20 paise, 54 paise in Pakistan, 37 paise in Bangladesh and 51 paise in Sri Lanka.