Railways Earns 5% Revenue from Flexi Fare, Tatkal and Premium Tickets

From 2018-19 to 2022-23, Indian Railways earned around 5% of its total revenue through flexi fare, tatkal, and premium tatkal tickets, according to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Responding to CPI (M) MP John Brittas in Rajya Sabha, Vaishnaw clarified refund policies for unconfirmed and cancelled tickets.

From 2018-19 to 2022-23, Indian Railways generated approximately 5% of its total revenue from flexi fare, tatkal, and premium tatkal tickets, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed in a written reply during a Rajya Sabha session on Friday.

The information was provided in response to a query from CPI (M) MP John Brittas, who asked for details on the revenue accrued from these fare categories over the last five years and for the first quarter of 2024-25.

Brittas also inquired whether the entire amount paid by passengers for unconfirmed tickets would be refunded automatically if the Railways cancels the tickets due to unavailability of berths. Vaishnaw clarified that waitlisted tickets receive a full refund minus applicable clerkage charges and that the revenue from cancelled tickets is not tracked separately.

(With inputs from agencies.)