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Tejas vs Shatabdi vs Vande Bharat vs Gatimaan: Which premium train is cheapest in India?

Cheapest Premium Train Fare Comparison: With effective from December 26, 2025, the national transporter has implemented a revised fare structure for passengers across its network.

3 min readUpdated: Jan 1, 2026 09:48 PM IST

Shatabdi, Tejas, Vande Bharat and Gatimaan - offer two types of seating classes: AC Chair Car and Executive Class. (Image generated using AI)

Indian Railways premium trains: Indian Railways operates various train services to ensure affordable travel across the country. These include Mail, Express, Superfast and premium trains. At present, the premium category comprises Rajdhani Express, Duronto Express, Shatabdi Express, Tejas Express, Gatimaan Express and Vande Bharat trains.

Among these, Shatabdi, Tejas, Gatimaan and Vande Bharat train services operate with Chair Car coaches, while long-distance trains such as Rajdhani and Duronto mainly run with sleeper and air-conditioned (AC) classes.

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Indian Railways fare hike

With effective from December 26, 2025, the national transporter has implemented a revised fare structure for passengers across its network. Under the revised fares, passengers travelling up to 500 km in non-AC coaches will have to pay an additional Rs 10.

The national transporter has increased fares for Mail and Express trains in non-AC coaches by 2 paise per km, while AC class fares have also been raised by 2 paise per km.

However, the fare rationalisation does not apply to suburban (local) services and Monthly Season Tickets (MSTs). There is also no fare increase for journeys up to 215 km in the ordinary class.

Effective from December 26, 2025

Railway Fare Rationalization Details

No Increase in Fare

• Suburban and Monthly Season Ticket

• Ordinary Class up to 215 km

Fare Increase Details

• Ordinary Class (more than 215 km) – 1 paise per km

• Mail/Express Non-AC – 2 paise per km

• AC class – 2 paise per km

Railways will earn about ₹600 crore this year as a result of this rationalisation

Example: 500 km Journey

For a 500 km journey in non-AC coaches, passengers will have to pay only ₹10 extra

Source: Ministry of Railways

Express InfoGenIE

Also Read | Indian Railways PNR Status: Here’s what GNWL, RLWL and PQWL mean for your journey

Tejas vs Shatabdi vs Vande Bharat vs Gatimaan: Fare comparison

All these trains – Shatabdi, Tejas, Vande Bharat and Gatimaan – offer two types of seating classes: AC Chair Car and Executive Class. Following the recent fare hike, the basic ticket price for 1 to 50 km journey in AC Chair Car is Rs 174 on the Shatabdi Express, Rs 208 on Tejas Express, Rs 243 on Vande Bharat and Rs 251 on Gatimaan Express.

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In Executive Class, the basic fare for the same distance stands at Rs 388 on Shatabdi, Rs 465 on Tejas, Rs 504 on Vande Bharat and Rs 562 on Gatimaan.

Key Sample Distances: AC Chair Car and Executive Class fares across premium train services

Shatabdi

Tejas

Vande Bharat

Gatimaan

50 km

Shat CC:₹174

Tejas CC:₹208

VB CC:₹243

Gati CC:₹251

100 km

Shat CC:₹219

Tejas CC:₹262

VB CC:₹305

Gati CC:₹316

200 km

Shat CC:₹342

Tejas CC:₹410

VB CC:₹477

Gati CC:₹494

300 km

Shat CC:₹458

Tejas CC:₹547

VB CC:₹636

Gati CC:₹659

50 km Exec

Shat Exec:₹388

Tejas Exec:₹465

VB Exec:₹504

Gati Exec:₹562

100 km Exec

Shat Exec:₹492

Tejas Exec:₹590

VB Exec:₹638

Gati Exec:₹712

200 km Exec

Shat Exec:₹753

Tejas Exec:₹902

VB Exec:₹977

Gati Exec:₹1088

300 km Exec

Shat Exec:₹1002

Tejas Exec:₹1200

VB Exec:₹1299

Gati Exec:₹1448

Express InfoGenIE

Thus, among these four trains, the Shatabdi Express remains one of the most affordable options in terms of fare. However, when it comes to onboard features and overall travel experience, the Vande Bharat Express emerges as the better choice in comparison.

Anish Mondal

Anish Mondal is a journalist with over nine years of experience covering the railways and roadways. Currently a member of the Indianexpress.com editorial team, Anish specializes in high-impact sectors. Professional Journey Anish began his career at the public broadcaster Rajya Sabha Television (now Sansad TV), where he developed a foundational understanding of legislative processes and national governance. In 2018, he transitioned to digital financial journalism at FinancialExpress.com, spending nearly six years refining his expertise in market trends and corporate reporting. Before joining The Indian Express in 2025, he served as a key contributor at ETNowNews.com. Education & Expertise Anish’s reporting is backed by a rigorous academic background in communication and the humanities: Master of Journalism and Mass Communication (MJMC) – Apeejay Stya University Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Production (PGTVRJP) – Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication Bachelor of Arts (English Honours) – University of Calcutta Areas of Coverage Connectivity: Detailed reporting on the expansion of Indian Railways and National Highway networks. ... Read More

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