Budget 2026: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the budget on February 1, 2026. Senior citizens have high expectations from the budget. Elderly travelers are especially keenly watching the government. Indian Railways has increased train fares effective December 26, 2025.
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Budget 2026: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the budget on February 1, 2026. Senior citizens have high expectations from the budget. Elderly passengers are particularly keenly watching the government. Indian Railways has increased train fares effective December 26, 2025. As a result, senior citizens fear that their travel will become more expensive. Although things have returned to normal after COVID, one benefit has not yet returned. Prior to COVID, senior citizens received a discount on railway tickets, which was removed during the COVID-19 pandemic but has never been reinstated.
Railway Fare Increase
The Railways has decided to increase fares for journeys exceeding 215 kilometers. An additional 1 paisa per kilometer will be charged in the general category and 2 paisa per kilometer in the non-AC and AC categories of mail and express trains. The Railways estimates that this move will generate additional revenue of approximately ₹600 crore. However, it will have a direct impact on passengers, especially the elderly.
What were senior citizen discounts like before?
Before COVID, the Railways offered significant discounts on tickets to senior citizens. Until 2019, men aged 60 and above received a 40% discount, and women aged 58 and above received a 50% discount. This discount applied to trains like Mail, Express, Rajdhani, Shatabdi, and Duronto. For example, if a first AC ticket on a Rajdhani train cost ₹4,000, a senior citizen could get the same ticket for around ₹2,000–₹2,300. Long-distance travel was much more affordable then.
Why was this facility discontinued during COVID?
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the government temporarily suspended this concession. At that time, the rationale was that passenger traffic was low and the railways’ financial situation was under pressure. However, the situation has changed. Trains are crowded again, and revenues have improved—yet the concession has not been reinstated. This is what has caused resentment among elderly passengers.
What are their expectations from the budget?
Senior citizens say that income becomes limited after retirement. Many rely on pensions or savings. They have to travel frequently for medical treatment, religious pilgrimages, or to visit their children. In such circumstances, rising fares are a burden on their pockets. They believe that restoring the concession on tickets will provide significant relief. Now, all eyes are on February 1, 2026, when Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the budget. Senior citizens hope that this time the government will take a decision on their long-standing demand. If the discount on railway tickets is brought back, then millions of elderly passengers will benefit from it.
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