The Ministry of Railways confirmed that, from 20 June 2026, the minimum penalty for travelling without a valid ticket on any Indian Railways service has been raised from ₹250 to ₹500 under the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act 2026. The revision applies across long-distance, suburban and premium trains and will be collected on the spot by Travelling Ticket Examiners via handheld PoS devices. Although a domestic measure, the rule matters to global mobility managers because many inbound assignees rely on trains for inter-city movements while awaiting company-provided vehicles or domestic flight bookings. Violations can now lead to instant fines and, for foreigners, potential referral to the Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office (FRRO) if identity documents appear irregular.
![Indian Railways doubles minimum fine for ticketless travel to ₹500 effective 20 June]()
At this juncture, it is worth noting that VisaHQ (https://www.visahq.com/india/) can assist international assignees and business travellers in securing the correct Indian visas, extensions and FRRO registrations, offering an easy online platform and expert support so that their documentation is in perfect order before they step onto any train.
Indian Railways justified the hike by citing an estimated ₹1,781 crore (US $215 million) revenue loss in FY 2024-25 from 38 lakh ticketless cases. Officials believe the steeper fine will boost compliance ahead of the busy July–August pilgrimage and student-travel season. Corporates should update travel handbooks, ensuring expatriates understand that paper-less e-tickets must be accompanied by an original passport for ID; digital copies on phones are insufficient. Failure to pay the fine immediately can result in detention at the next station and prosecution under Section 138 of the Railways Act. The same notification also increases fines for smoking on trains to ₹2,000 and misuse of ladies’ coaches to ₹2,500, further tightening on-board discipline as the network rolls out new Vande Bharat services.
At this juncture, it is worth noting that VisaHQ (https://www.visahq.com/india/) can assist international assignees and business travellers in securing the correct Indian visas, extensions and FRRO registrations, offering an easy online platform and expert support so that their documentation is in perfect order before they step onto any train.
Indian Railways justified the hike by citing an estimated ₹1,781 crore (US $215 million) revenue loss in FY 2024-25 from 38 lakh ticketless cases. Officials believe the steeper fine will boost compliance ahead of the busy July–August pilgrimage and student-travel season. Corporates should update travel handbooks, ensuring expatriates understand that paper-less e-tickets must be accompanied by an original passport for ID; digital copies on phones are insufficient. Failure to pay the fine immediately can result in detention at the next station and prosecution under Section 138 of the Railways Act. The same notification also increases fines for smoking on trains to ₹2,000 and misuse of ladies’ coaches to ₹2,500, further tightening on-board discipline as the network rolls out new Vande Bharat services.
