Indian Railways will remove the superfast designation from 18 trains from January 1, 2027, converting them into regular Express services and reducing passenger fares by eliminating the applicable superfast surcharge, according to a report by Aaj Tak Business.
The change will also bring new train numbers for all 18 services. Passengers using routes connecting Delhi, Bihar, Punjab and Uttarakhand will therefore need to check the revised numbers while booking tickets or planning journeys after the new timetable takes effect.
The affected services include trains operating between Tanakpur and Delhi Junction, Dehradun and Kathgodam, Moradabad and Ramnagar, Islampur and New Delhi, Darbhanga and Jalandhar City, Patliputra and Chandigarh, Muzaffarpur and Anand Vihar Terminal, and Rajgir and New Delhi.
Under railway rules cited in the report, a train must record an average speed of at least 55 kmph to qualify as superfast. The average is calculated by dividing the total distance by the total journey time, with the railway examining performance in both directions. A review found that the 18 services were below the prescribed average-speed standard.
Once the superfast classification is withdrawn, passengers will no longer pay the additional superfast surcharge. The reported reduction is expected to 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 exact payable fare will depend on the class of travel and the applicable ticket calculation.
The revised services include the Tanakpur–Delhi Junction train, whose number will change from 12035 to 15317, and the return service, which will change from 12036 to 15318. The Dehradun–Kathgodam service will move from 12091 to 15315, while the return journey will change from 12092 to 15316.
Other changes include the Moradabad–Ramnagar services, whose numbers 25013 and 25035 will become 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, with the return service moving from 20802 to 18634.
The Darbhanga–Jalandhar City pair will change from 22551 and 22552 to 15541 and 15542. The Patliputra–Chandigarh services will move from 22355 and 22356 to 13255 and 13256. The Muzaffarpur–Anand Vihar Terminal pair will change from 12557 and 12558 to 15577 and 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. Railway reviews of train status are conducted annually or when a new timetable is introduced. Officials cited in the report said factors such as additional stoppages, congestion on routes and other operational conditions can lower a train’s average speed.
Passengers using any of the 18 services should verify the new train number before booking tickets for journeys beginning January 1, 2027. The fare reduction and renumbering will apply when the services operate under their revised Express classification.
