Vande Bharat Fares Lower Than China, Japan, France

The Indian government says that the new Vande Bharat trains are cheaper than similar trains in China, Japan, and France.

The price for a 300‑400 km trip is about Rs 2.19 for each passenger kilometre.

In India, the cheapest train fare is only about ₹0.20 per kilometre, which is less than half the price in nearby countries.

The railway ministry says it sets fares by looking at how much it costs to run the trains, how good the service is, and how much people can afford.

The trains are almost full on every route, showing that many people like them.

In the next year, the government will give a big subsidy of about ₹60,239 crore to keep ticket prices low.