Staff Correspondent:

Passengers traveling on trains using the Jamuna Bridge will have to pay increased fares starting from 19 March, as the authorities have raised ticket prices without any prior notice.

The hike follows the inauguration of the Jamuna Rail Bridge on 18 March. On 9 March, when tickets for 19 March were released online, passengers noticed significant fare increases across various trains.

Fare Increases on the Dhaka-Rajshahi Route

Trains operating on the Dhaka-Rajshahi route, including Dhumketu Express, Silk City Express, and Padma Express, will see fare adjustments as follows:

Shovon Chair: Increased from Tk405 to 450. Snigdha: Increased from Tk771 to 863. AC Special: Increased from Tk926 to 1035. AC Berth: Increased from Tk1386 to 1547.

This means passengers will now have to pay an additional Tk45 for Shovon Chair, Tk92 for Snigdha, Tk109 for AC Special, and Tk161 for AC Berth.

Similarly, for the non-stop Bonolota Express, the revised fares are:

Shovon Chair: Increased from Tk450 to 495. Snigdha: Increased from Tk851 to 949. AC Special: Increased from Tk1024 to 1139. Passengers on this train will have to pay an additional Tk45 for Shovon Chair, Tk98 for Snigdha, and Tk115 for AC Special.

Apart from the Dhaka-Rajshahi route, the fare hikes also apply to other trains crossing the Jamuna Bridge. These include: Nilshagor Express, Burimari Express, Rangpur Express, Ekota Express, Chapai Mail, Chilahati Express, Sirajganj Express, Kurigram Express, Chitra Express, Drutajan Express, Lalmoni Express, and Panchagarh Express.

The sudden fare increase without prior announcement has sparked concern among passengers, many of whom are now facing unexpected additional travel costs.