18 trains to lose superfast status and change numbers from 1 January

Indian Railways has implemented a major change in the classification and numbering of trains. According to a report by News18, from 1 January, 2027, 18 trains will lose their 'superfast' status and will be reclassified into the regular express category. As a result of this change, the numbers of all these trains will change, and ticket fares for passengers will decrease.

These 18 services listed by Northern Railway will now move out of the superfast category and be included in the regular express category. Along with this change, the superfast surcharge will be removed, providing financial relief to passengers. This change will primarily affect routes connecting Delhi, Bihar, Punjab, and Uttarakhand. Additionally, the numbers of some services connected to Karnataka have also been reassigned.

The affected routes include trains running between Tanakpur and Delhi, Dehradun and Kathgodam, Moradabad and Ramnagar, Darbhanga and Jalandhar City, as well as Muzaffarpur and Anand Vihar Terminal. Northern Railway has announced revised numbers for a total of 9 train pairs (both directions), which will come into effect from 1 January, 2027.

According to Railway Board guidelines, for any broad-gauge train to be kept in the superfast category, it is mandatory to have an average speed of at least 55 kmph throughout its entire journey. In this calculation, the total distance covered and the total time taken for the journey are taken into account, and the average speed is checked in both directions.

A review conducted by the Railways revealed that the average speed of these 18 trains has fallen below the prescribed benchmark of 55 kmph. For this reason, Northern Railway has decided to reclassify them as non-superfast trains and allocate new numbers.

Operational factors such as additional stoppages, traffic congestion on busy railway routes, and long halts at stations are responsible for the decrease in train speed. Due to these factors, although there is no change in the maximum permissible speed of the train, the overall travel time increases and the average speed decreases.

Generally, passengers travelling in superfast trains have to pay an additional superfast surcharge in addition to the original ticket fare. Now, when these services come into the regular express category, this additional charge will not apply. This decrease in fare will depend on the class of travel. According to News18, this decrease is not a change in the base fare, but merely the abolition of the superfast surcharge. The final payable amount will depend on the applicable fare and other charges.

Passengers have been advised by the Railways to check the revised train numbers before booking travel in the new year. Passengers can use the National Train Enquiry System (NTES), the official railway reservation platform, or call 139 for the latest train numbers and travel information.