# Railways to Strip Superfast Tag from 18 Trains, Slashing Fares by up to Rs 75

> Starting January 1, the railway authorities will reclassify 18 popular trains into ordinary express services, removing the superfast surcharge and dropping ticket fares by up to Rs 75.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Business · **Published:** 2026-11-03 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/business/relave-18-gariyon-se-hataega-suparaphasta-ka-darja-yatriyon-ke-lie-tikata-ke-dama-75-rupaye-taka-ghatenge-55566 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Indian Railways, Train Fares, Sapt Kranti Express, Shramjeevi Express, Purnagiri Jan Shatabdi, Railway Tickets, Superfast Trains

Railway passengers are slated to receive significant financial relief as authorities prepare to reclassify 18 trains operating across key national routes starting January 1. These services will lose their superfast status and will be transitioned into the standard express category, directly driving down travel expenses by up to Rs 75 per journey. Among the prominent services identified for this operational shift are the Sapt Kranti connecting Muzaffarpur and Anand Vihar, the Shramjeevi running between Rajgir and New Delhi, and the Purnagiri Jan Shatabdi operating between Tanakpur and Delhi.

## Speed Shortfall Triggers Reclassification Review
Under the established guidelines of the Railway Board, a train qualifies for the superfast designation exclusively if it sustains an overall average operating speed of at least 55 kilometres per hour across both up and down directions. Thorough periodic reviews revealed that these specific trains consistently fell short of meeting this mandatory velocity threshold. The slowdown has been largely caused by operational bottlenecks, the introduction of additional intermediate stoppages along their itineraries, and intensifying traffic congestion across heavily burdened rail corridors.

## Annual Schedule Revision and New Service Identifiers
Railway administrators routinely evaluate train velocities during the rollout of new timetables and periodic performance audits. Alongside stripping the superfast branding, the administration has also assigned new operational service numbers to all 18 affected trains. This numbering revision specifically covers both directions of the high-demand Sapt Kranti service, running between Muzaffarpur and Anand Vihar as well as its return leg from Anand Vihar to Muzaffarpur.

## Breakdown of Class-Wise Fare Reductions
The elimination of the superfast tag directly impacts ticket pricing by doing away with the mandatory superfast surcharge previously billed to passengers. Once this surcharge is revoked, commuters booking sleeper class accommodations will save up to Rs 30 per ticket. Passengers travelling in third AC, 3E, second AC, and AC chair car coaches will see prices fall by Rs 45. Meanwhile, the steepest cost deduction applies to premium travellers, with tickets in first AC and executive class becoming cheaper by up to Rs 75.

## What this means for you
Passengers booking travel on these 18 routes from January 1 will pay noticeably lower fares due to the withdrawal of the superfast surcharge.

- **Direct Ticket Savings:** Travellers will save up to Rs 30 in sleeper class, Rs 45 across mid-tier AC classes, and up to Rs 75 in first AC and executive class. Anyone booking journeys scheduled on or after January 1 can immediately benefit from these reduced base costs.
- **Updated Train Numbers:** The reclassified trains are being issued completely new operational train numbers. Commuters must verify the updated train numbers prior to booking or checking seat availability to prevent confusion.
- **Travel Time Considerations:** The removal of the superfast label reflects that the operational average speed has dropped below 55 kilometres per hour. Passengers should plan their departures and arrivals accounting for slower operational runtimes.
- **Impact on Key Routes:** Regular commuters traversing major corridors between Muzaffarpur, Anand Vihar, Rajgir, and Tanakpur will see reduced recurring travel expenses. Budget travellers across these sectors stand to gain consistent financial relief on every journey.

## Why this happened
The operational downgrade stems from the inability of these 18 trains to sustain the mandatory average speed criteria mandated by the Railway Board. Increased corridor congestion and frequent stops reduced their transit velocity.

- **Speed Threshold Non-Compliance:** Regulatory provisions stipulate that a train must maintain a minimum average speed of 55 kilometres per hour in both directions to retain superfast status. Official performance reviews confirmed that these services systematically failed to achieve this target.
- **Addition of Route Stoppages:** Over time, multiple intermediate stops were incorporated along these long-distance journeys. The frequent deceleration, dwell times, and acceleration cycles dragged down the overall operational pace across the route.
- **Corridor Congestion and Bottlenecks:** Heavy traffic saturation on prime trunk routes triggered recurrent operational delays. This persistent track congestion directly hindered these trains from sustaining optimal speeds, prompting the reclassification upon annual schedule review.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. When will the reclassification of these trains take effect?
The withdrawal of the superfast status will take effect starting January 1.

### 2. How much will the passenger ticket fares decrease?
Ticket fares will drop between Rs 30 and Rs 75 depending on the travel class due to the removal of the superfast surcharge.

### 3. Which prominent trains are included in this reclassification?
The list includes major trains such as the Muzaffarpur-Anand Vihar Sapt Kranti, Rajgir-New Delhi Shramjeevi, and Tanakpur-Delhi Purnagiri Jan Shatabdi.

### 4. What is the speed requirement for a train to maintain superfast status?
Railway Board guidelines mandate an average speed of at least 55 kilometres per hour in both up and down directions.

### 5. What is the specific price reduction across different train classes?
Fares will decrease by up to Rs 30 for sleeper class, Rs 45 for third AC, 3E, second AC, and AC chair car, and up to Rs 75 for first AC and executive class.

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