Charged Rs 125 ‘express fare’ on passenger train, man wins Rs 5,300 from railways

A passenger in Tamil Nadu successfully sued the Southern Railway and the Railway Board for charging him Rs 125 express fare on a passenger train, despite it continuing to operate as a regular train. The consumer commission ruled that the railways had charged excess fares of Rs 125 instead of the correct passenger fare of Rs 65 for three separate journeys in 2024.

The man claimed he traveled from Karwar to Mangalore Central on the same train three times in 2024, but was charged Rs 125 each time, despite the train's speed, timings, and stoppages remaining unchanged. The commission found the railways had operated the train as an express special service for over two years without providing any additional facilities or justifying the higher fare, which amounted to unfair trade practice.

The railways were ordered to refund Rs 5,330 to the passenger, including Rs 330 for excess fare collected and additional compensation for mental distress.