Pakistan Railways has officially announced a five per cent increase in train fares, citing the escalating prices of petroleum products. The new fare structure will be implemented starting tomorrow, February 5, 2025.
The fare hike will impact all train services, including saloon services and outsourced trains. Officials confirmed that the adjustment was necessary to cope with the rising costs of fuel, which have been a significant burden on operations.
This marks the second fare adjustment in recent months. On July 18, 2024, Pakistan Railways raised fares by 1% across all classes, including economy, AC standard, AC business, and AC parlour.
The price surge comes in the wake of recent increases in petrol and diesel prices. In January 2025, the government raised the price of petrol by Rs1 per liter, pushing it to Rs257.13, while diesel prices saw a more significant rise of Rs7 per liter, reaching Rs267.95.
International oil prices, however, have retreated slightly this week. On Tuesday, Brent crude futures fell by 0.7%, or 50 cents, to $75.46 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude dropped 1.2%, or 89 cents, trading at $72.27. This decline in oil prices follows a pause by US President Donald Trump on a decision regarding steep tariffs on Mexico and Canada, two of the largest oil suppliers to the United States. Additionally, there are prospects of higher oil supply from OPEC+ nations starting in April.
Despite this global trend, Pakistan Railways has stated that the fare increase is necessary to mitigate the impact of the ongoing rise in fuel prices.
