The travel cost for Dhaka to Chattogram and Sylhet and vice versa will increase as the Bangladesh Railway (BR) is going to impose operation and maintenance charges for 11 rail bridges on the routes.

The new fare will come into effect on 20 December, according to a press note shared by the Ministry of Railways’ Public Relations Officer Rezaul Karim with the media on Tuesday.

It said, “Due to the imposition of uniform and consistent pontage charges for passenger trains operating on various bridges under the Bangladesh Railway Eastern Zone, the fare per passenger on different routes will increase slightly. A uniform pontage charge/fare distance is being applied to 11 bridges in the Eastern Zone of Bangladesh Railway. The increased fares will take effect from 20 December 2025.

According to the press release shared by the ministry, the fares for both express trains and intercity trains are on the Dhaka-Chattogram-Dhaka, Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar-Dhaka, and Dhaka-Sylhet-Dhaka routes. The price of different categories of seats will be increased from Tk31-214, while the fare will remain the same for first-class seats in some trains. Railway fares were last increased in the 2016–17 fiscal year.

The fare for a Snigdha-class seat, including VAT, on the nonstop Subarna and Sonar Bangla Express trains on the Dhaka–Chattogram route is Tk855. With the new charge, the fare will rise to Tk945, meaning passengers will have to pay Tk90 more. Currently, the distance on the Dhaka–Chattogram route is 346 kilometres. With the pontage charge, it will rise to 381 kilometres. As a result, mail train fares will increase from Tk135 to Tk150. Commuter fares will increase by Tk20 and Shovon chair fares by Tk40. Intercity Snigdha-class fares will go up from Tk777 to Tk850, an increase of Tk73. The AC berth fares, currently Tk1,448, will rise by Tk140.

On nonstop trains such as the Subarna and Sonar Bangla Express, Snigdha-class fares will rise from Tk855 to Tk945, an increase of Tk90. First berth and AC seat fares will increase by Tk100 to Tk110, while AC berth fares will rise by around Tk160 from the current Tk1,587.

On the Dhaka–Cox’s Bazar and Parjotok Express routes, Snigdha-class fares will increase from Tk1,322 to Tk1,450, an increase of Tk128. First berth and AC seat fares will rise by Tk150 each. The AC berth fares, currently Tk2,430, will increase to Tk2,644, a hike of Tk214.