Budget 2026: Senior citizens might see some relief in the Budget 2026. The government could bring back the discount on railway ticket bookings. Sources say that the Railway Ministry has proposed this to the Finance Ministry. There’s talk about it in the pre-budget meetings, but no final decision has been made yet. We might get a hint about this in the budget. Before Covid, senior citizens could enjoy discounts of up to 50% on ticket bookings, which were halted during the pandemic. Since then, seniors have been hoping to see those discounts return.
Discounts were available before Covid
Before the pandemic, Indian Railways offered senior citizens discounts of up to 50% on train fares. Under this scheme, male passengers aged 60 and older received a 40% discount, while female passengers aged 58 and above got a 50% discount. This discount applied to nearly all classes, including Sleeper, Third AC, Second AC, and First AC. When booking a ticket, passengers just needed to enter their age, and the discount was automatically applied. There was no need for a separate card, certificate, or any extra steps. Whether booking online through IRCTC or at the railway counter, seniors enjoyed this benefit at both locations.
What happened in 2020?
In March 2020, the railway system came to a standstill due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Train services were suspended, and passenger numbers dropped drastically. The railways faced losses in the thousands of crores. During this period, the senior citizen concession was temporarily put on hold. The reasoning was that the railways were already operating at a loss. The concessions for seniors cost around Rs 1,600-2,000 crore each year.
However, after the pandemic, the railways resumed full operations, but the senior citizen service has yet to be reinstated. While this service was suspended, it hasn’t been officially discontinued. However, on December 26th of last year, the railways slightly increased fares.
Demand for senior citizens
Elderly passengers say that their income becomes limited after retirement. Many rely on pensions or savings. In such circumstances, the railway discounts provided by the railways have been a significant relief amid rising fares. This is why senior citizens have been demanding the reinstatement of this facility for quite some time. Now, all eyes are on February 1, 2026.