Indian Railways will remove the superfast classification from 18 trains from 1 January 2027, converting them to regular Express services and changing their train numbers. Passengers using these services will no longer pay the applicable superfast surcharge, reducing ticket costs by up to Rs 75 depending on the travel class.
The affected services operate across routes connecting Delhi, Bihar, Punjab and Uttarakhand. The change includes trains such as the Purnagiri Jan Shatabdi, Sapt Kranti Express and Shramjeevi Express. A report by Aaj Tak Business said the decision followed a review of the trains’ average speeds against the standard required for superfast status.
Under the railway rules cited in the report, a train must record an average speed of at least 55 kilometres per hour to qualify as superfast. The calculation is based on the total distance covered and the total journey time, with the average speed assessed in both the onward and return directions. The 18 trains were found to be below the prescribed threshold during the review.
The removal of the classification will eliminate the additional superfast surcharge from tickets. The reported reduction will be Rs 30 in Sleeper Class; Rs 45 in Third AC, Third AC Economy, Second AC and AC Chair Car; and up to Rs 75 in First AC and Executive Class. The final fare payable will depend on the class selected and other applicable ticket components.
The affected services include the Tanakpur–Delhi Junction train, whose number will change from 12035 to 15317, and the Delhi Junction–Tanakpur service, changing from 12036 to 15318. The Dehradun–Kathgodam service will change from 12091 to 15315, while the return service will change from 12092 to 15316.
The two Moradabad–Ramnagar services will move from train numbers 25013 and 25035 to 15313 and 15335 respectively. Their return services, currently numbered 25014 and 25036, will become 15314 and 15336. The Islampur–New Delhi service will change from 20801 to 18633, and the New Delhi–Islampur service from 20802 to 18634.
On routes linking Bihar, Punjab and Delhi, the Darbhanga–Jalandhar City service will change from 22551 to 15541, while the return service will change from 22552 to 15542. The Patliputra–Chandigarh train will move from 22355 to 13255, and the Chandigarh–Patliputra service from 22356 to 13256.
The Muzaffarpur–Anand Vihar Terminal train will change from 12557 to 15577, with the return service changing from 12558 to 15578. The Rajgir–New Delhi service will be renumbered from 12391 to 13291, while the New Delhi–Rajgir service will change from 12392 to 13292.
The report said Indian Railways reviews train punctuality and average speed every year or when a new timetable is introduced. Additional stops, increased traffic on a route and other operating conditions can affect a service’s average speed. When a train no longer meets the superfast threshold, its classification can be revised.
Passengers travelling on these routes will need to search for the new train numbers when booking journeys from 1 January 2027. Using the old numbers after the change may make it harder to identify the correct service in reservation systems and travel plans.
