Methodology
How these numbers are produced
Where every figure comes from, and what we deliberately do not do.
What we do not do
We do not query IRCTC, RedBus or any operator's system, and we do not republish their data. Scraping a booking platform breaches its terms, and the data is not ours to redistribute. Every fare here is derived from published tariff structures instead.
CalcMyTrip is not a booking service and is not affiliated with Indian Railways, IRCTC or any transport operator. We will never ask you for a payment.
Fare estimation
Indian Railways and state transport corporations publish rate-per-kilometre structures by class, along with reservation charges, superfast surcharges and the GST treatment of AC classes. Applying those to a distance is arithmetic anyone can check, and the formula is printed on every calculator page.
Three things stop this landing exactly on the real fare, and all three are why we publish a range:
- Telescopic rates. The per-km rate falls as distance rises, in bands. A single average rate is close over typical intercity distances and drifts at the extremes.
- Class minimum fares. Short journeys in higher classes are governed by a floor, not by distance.
- Dynamic pricing. On Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto and Vande Bharat the fare rises as seats fill, up to around 1.5 times base. There is no single static answer.
Constants
| Constant | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Train GST | 5% | AC classes only |
| Tatkal premium | 30% | Over base fare, subject to class caps |
| Flexi-fare maximum | 1.5× | Premium trains, as seats fill |
| Car wear & tear | ₹2–3 / km | Tyres, servicing, brakes, distance-related depreciation |
| Highway toll (car) | ₹1.50–2.50 / km | NHAI published rates |
| Same-day return toll | 1.5× | Concession at most plazas, receipt required |
| Trip buffer | 12% | Typical trip overrun |
| People per room | 2 | Standard double occupancy |
| Peak season factor | 1.5× | Applied to accommodation only |
Stay and food benchmarks
This is the part that is genuinely ours. What a night in a budget hotel in a hill station actually costs, or what a day of mixed eating runs to in a metro, is researched editorial data — it cannot be derived from a published tariff and it cannot be scraped from anywhere.
Benchmarks are held by destination type — metro, hill station, beach, pilgrimage town, wildlife park and so on — because those categories price very differently. Wildlife destinations carry the highest sightseeing costs because safari fees dominate; pilgrimage towns are consistently the cheapest across every head.
Benchmarks last reviewed August 2026. They are reviewed quarterly. Fuel prices are reviewed weekly.
What these calculators do not do
- They do not give live prices. Everything is an estimate for budgeting.
- They do not book anything or link to anyone who does for a commission.
- They do not model shopping, which varies too much between people to estimate.
- They do not price driver fatigue, which on long hill routes is a real cost.
- They do not account for delays, cancellations or missed connections.
- They do not model concessions or quotas on railway fares.
- Durations are rough averages and exclude waits and connections.
Where to check these yourself
Every fare figure here is derived from published tariff structures, not scraped from a booking site. These are where those structures come from, and where you should confirm before you travel.
| What | Source |
|---|---|
| Actual train fare and availability | IRCTC — the only authoritative source. We are not affiliated with it and cannot see live fares. |
| Fare rules, class structure, surcharges | Indian Railways |
| Highway toll rates and plaza locations | NHAI; FASTag details at IHMCL |
| Road transport policy and vehicle classes | Ministry of Road Transport & Highways |
| State bus fares and timings | Your own state transport corporation. Each sets and revises its own per-km rates. |
| Open datasets we build on | Open Government Data Platform India |
Corrections
Fuel prices move weekly and travel benchmarks drift every season. If a figure here is out of date or wrong for a place you know well, please tell us — that is the most useful thing you can send us.