Central Railway to Drop Superfast Tag on 18 Trains from January 2027

Central Railway plans to withdraw the superfast status of 18 long-distance trains operating out of Mumbai and Pune, reclassifying them as ordinary express services from January 1, 2027. The operational shift, which follows Railway Board guidelines, will lower passenger fares by eliminating the superfast surcharge and will assign new train numbers to all affected services.

The change covers both directions of 18 services across eight train pairs. These routes connect key Mumbai rail terminals, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT), as well as Pune, to destinations across Maharashtra and several other states.

Among the affected services are the CSMT–Hingoli Janshatabdi Express, CSMT–Pune Pragati Express, LTT–Thiruvananthapuram North Express, CSMT–Banaras Mahanagari Express, and the LTT–Ayodhya Cantt Tulsi Express. Other trains included in the revision are the LTT–Karmali AC Express, CSMT–Chennai Express, LTT–Banaras Express, and the Pune–Kazipet Express.

Superfast trains generally carry an additional superfast surcharge on top of the applicable basic ticket fare. Under the revised classification, passengers travelling on these 18 services will see that surcharge removed, leading to cheaper tickets subject to applicable railway fare regulations.

A senior Central Railway official confirmed the tariff and operational adjustments. "When the superfast status is removed, the fare comes down and the train number is changed," the official said.

Railway authorities have advised travelers to check their tickets and reservation details carefully when booking journeys scheduled on or after January 1, 2027. Existing train numbers will be replaced on that date, and passengers are urged to consult official railway announcements and updated reservation records before undertaking their travel.