Railway Counter Ticket Insurance Mandatory From 27 October

Railway counter ticket insurance will be mandatory from 27 October 2026. The Supreme Court has told Indian Railways that every ticket sold at a station counter must carry the same insurance as a ticket bought online.

Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R. Mahadevan passed the order while hearing a passenger-safety case. Online buyers already get cover by paying a small extra amount. Counter buyers, who are often people with less money and less access to the internet, do not. On 11 May the Centre told the court that a decision had been taken and that the method was being worked out. On 6 October the Bench said there had still been no progress.

## What the order requires

From 27 October, tickets sold over the counter at every railway station must be insured in the same way as online tickets. The direction is mandatory. If Railways misses it, the Railway Board is directly responsible. The court will hear the matter again on 16 November. The wider case also covers foot overbridges and fencing of tracks. This order does not, by itself, say those works are finished.

## What passengers should do

A passenger buying a paper ticket after 27 October should ask whether the insurance premium is included and what the cover pays. The court has not published a premium or a payout figure in the reports used here. Do not invent one. The Railway Board still has to show the mechanism.

Indian Express report: https://indianexpress.com/article/legal-news/supreme-court-offline-train-ticket-insurance-october-27-10921317/

## FAQ

### From when does railway counter ticket insurance start?

The Supreme Court set 27 October 2026 as the date. Cover must match online tickets.

### Who is responsible if Railways does not comply?

The court said the responsibility lies directly with the Railway Board.