* Dear friend, Instead of extending this facility to online ticket booking, IR is moving in reverse direction. IR have stopped issuing onward reservation tickets in ac classes, only non ac classes are having this age old privilege as of now. Soon this facility may be withdrawn for SL class as well.
* IR have not increased the general fares since a few years, but has done enough to indirectly raise the fares.
(1) Increase the RAC berths per coach
(2)...
more... Refusal to give berth to child
(3) Drastically increasing the cancellation charge many times
(4) Introduction of Flexifares in premium trains leading to avg raise of fare by 35%
(5) Invention of Suvidha trains (earlier Premium ttrains) with fare more upto 400% of normal fare.
(6) Almost stopped the introduction of normal fare new trains and have resorted to introduction of special fare special trains (with surcharge upwards of 30% of normal fare) on continuous basis. Only election bound and favourite states get normal fare new trains.
(7) Request to Senior Citizens to Forego half or full concession.
etc etc etc
* It would be better if IR have a unified fare structure which is reasonable and levy surcharge for the facilities provided by the train like higher speed (lower travel time), Better coaches safer LHB ones with better furnishings, more pax amenities like WiFi, water filter, CCTV camera, on board entertainment, pantry car facilities, better air conditioning (power cars) etc rather than levying surcharges on whims and fancies. Higher basefare for Rajdhanies & Shatabdies is justified and is well accepted by public but harsh flexi fares are not. * Operating LHB SFs at 110kmph and not charging more for that is yet another mistake of IR. IR can run LHB SFs with Rajdhani speed (at 130kmph) and charge higher base fare in line with Rajdhani/Duronto/Shatabdi trains. This is a better option than Flexifare scheme which can give much more revenue to IR and benefits to paxs (higher speed/priority)
* Charging levy on special fare train run with old ICF coaches, either lesser avg speed, poor punctuality and no pantry car facilities is a financial folly which is possible only because of monopoly of IR and poor paxs have no option but to pay through their nose.
* Whimsical ways of functioning of IR is indirectly contributing to the success of the UDAAN (air line), Bharat Mala (Road) & Sagar Mala (Water ways) schemes of Govt.