A Reddit's post has sparked outrage on the internet

Passenger discovers an astonishing fare while bookingTatkal ticket

The journey was from Bengaluru to Kolkata

A recent Reddit post has sparked outrage after an Indian Railways passenger discovered an astonishing fare while attempting to book a premium Tatkal ticket from Bengaluru to Kolkata. The user, who was searching for a 2nd AC coach on a superfast train between SMVT Bengaluru Junction and Howrah Junction for August 9th, was shocked to find the ticket priced at an exorbitant Rs 10,100.

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The typical cost for this route is around Rs 2,900, leaving the user and many others baffled by the significant price hike. A screenshot of the booking page quickly went viral, drawing widespread criticism on social media. Many users expressed disbelief, stating they would rather choose a flight than pay such a high amount for a train journey.

Several users condemned the Tatkal scheme, labeling it as a “fraud practice” and questioning who would be willing to pay such an inflated price. The original poster questioned, “Who’s booking such tickets? 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.”

The incident has reignited debates over the pricing strategies of Indian Railways, particularly in the context of the Tatkal scheme, which is meant to cater to last-minute travelers.