Rajdhani Express, Duronto Express, and Shatabdi Express ticket prices to reduce from April 16

Next time you book tickets for travelling in special express trains like Rajdhani Express, Duronto Express, or Shatabdi Express, don’t be surprised on being charged less than usual. The reason is that beginning April 16, 2018, the Indian railways will cut ticket fare due to the tax bracket of 5% under the Goods and Services Tax (GST), w.e.f July 2017. Henceforth, customers travelling at low cost will now be able to afford tickets in these express trains.

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The Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue) in a circular issued on March 31, 2018, made it clear that the applicable GST rate on supply of food and/or drinks by Indian Railways or IRCTC or their licensees, whether in trains or at platforms (static units) will be 5% without Input Tax Credit (ITC). After the announcement, the Indian Railways updated the price of catering service throughout the trains.

Prior, 18% tax was charged throughout all the premium express trains. While, other mail or express trains do not include catering charges, premium trains, on the other hand, include catering rates in the ticket fare itself. The revised catering charges in Rajdhani Express and Shatabdi Express to be embodied in ticket fare inclusive of GST 5%. This includes, morning tea at INR 10, breakfast at INR 70, lunch/dinner at INR 120, evening tea at INR 45, and combo meal at INR 70. For Duronto Express, the morning tea will be charged at INR 10, breakfast at INR 40, lunch/dinner at INR 75, and evening tea at INR 20.



The Indian Railways earlier said, “In case of Rajdhani/Shatabdi/Duronto type trains where catering charges are part of the ticket fare and collected by Railways from passengers, the amount of GST as applicable and indicated above is to be reimbursed to the service providers on submission of proof of deposit of same with the appropriate Government Authority.”

In addition to the above charges, GST on catering services of Tejas, Shivalik, Gatiman and other premium express trains, shall be charged at 5% without ITC.

Zonal Railways will waste no time in calculating of catering allocation charges as per the revised GST rates shown above for various service needs between various pairs of railway stations.