'Premium Tatkal': Bengaluru-Kolkata 2nd AC Train Ticket Costs Whopping ₹10,000, Internet Reacts

Bengaluru: An Indian Railways ticket costing more than ₹10,000 has gone viral on the internet. Booking a premium tatkal ticket on the SMVB Howrah Express between Bengaluru and Kolkata will cost the passengers ₹10,100. 

A Reddit user shared a screenshot of the expensive ticket and wondered who was booking such journeys.

The Reddit user said tickets on that route normally cost around ₹2,900.

“Honestly, I don't understand who'd be willing to pay 10k+ for a 2A ticket in an ordinary superfast train between two well-connected metro cities when a regular 2A ticket is priced at 2.9k,” his post reads.

IRCTC had introduced the premium tatkal category which follows dynamic pricing. Unlike tatkal, where ticket prices are fixed, ticket prices in premium tatkal increase with demand.

“That's premium tatkal for you. Honestly I feel it is useless, either put these seats under tatkal or general quota. Such high tatkal charges and dynamic charges, doesn't make sense,” wrote one Reddit user, also pointing out that “so many quotas lead to very less number of seats available under general booking quota.”

Another user wrote, “One might as well travel without a ticket in 2nd “There are folks who cannot fly due to medical reasons. There are also folks who cannot drive as well. I know this because I am related to a few of them. They are being squeezed due to these new policies,” third user commented.